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Being Present - The Practice

  • 19-07-2008 4:55pm
    #1
    ntlbell
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,288 ✭✭✭✭


    So following on from my questions.

    Being present doesn't seem to be a natural state for most people, so it must be something that requires practice.

    For people that know how important it is what changes did you make to work towards being present?

    Do you have any tips?

    Do you have certain activites were you try harder than others?

    Do you set aside time each day or do your try every waking moment to be present?


Comments

  • #2
    yomchi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,621 ✭✭✭yomchi


    Meditation practice. Just sit and observe and be present :)


  • #3
    Asiaprod
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,737 ✭✭✭Asiaprod


    Jon wrote: »
    Meditation practice. Just sit and observe and be present :)

    That really is it in a nutshell. Just observe, be it sitting in meditation or walking the streets. Look at what is going on around you, look at the people as they go about their day. Take time in the evening to reflect on your day, question yourself on your actions during that day and if you could have handled any situation you had encountered differently from how you did handle it.

    [Edit] Ooops, forgot to mention the most important and hardest point of all, respect. Practice respect for every one you meet. You do not haver to agree with them, just respect they are different and have their own opinions and ways of dealing with things. If you feel yourself loosing it, just remain calm and neutral. Let them get on with it, they are responsible for their actions and the consequences thereof. This will definitely help you in becoming Present. As a Cmod I get to interact with many on Boards.IE who could drive me up the wall if I let them. Being a mod has certainly helped me in becoming Present:)


  • #4
    maitri
    Closed Accounts Posts: 426 ✭✭maitri


    Asiaprod wrote: »
    That really is it in a nutshell. Just observe, be it sitting in meditation or walking the streets. Look at what is going on around you,

    ...and what is going on inside you as you relate to the world, I'd add. :)

    I also definitly believe in what Asia says about respecting and letting go of judging others (as well as yourself) - I am working very hard with that myself...;)

    When it comes to meditation I often find it easier to concentrate lightly on my breath (e.g. my out breath) and when I see that I get carried away from the now by thoughts (as I do, since that is how mind works most of the time), I simply label them "thoughts" (in a friendly relaxed manner, happy that I noticed as I normally would not even notice being carried away) and return to the light focus on my out breath - leaving a huge space for "just being" in the gap between my out breaths.

    When I am too unconcentrated to do this I count both the in breaths and the out breaths up to ten and then start all over again on "one".

    I also use the wonderful insight meditation where I kindly and unjudginly notice what is going on in body, feelings and thoughts, letting it all go as I notice.

    Description of this meditation technique (as described by the Buddha according to tradition) as well as other very nice meditations and descriptions you can find in This Thread.
    (Copy of description of insight meditation on page 2).

    Ultimately you'll have to find out what works for you as we need different things according to personality and situation.

    Good luck!:)

    Regards,

    Maitri


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