Learning to live fully and not just exist.

Learning to live fully and not just exist.

Live Now. This sounds like a pretty easy thing to do…Live now, because if you are not living now then where and when are you living? In a practical way this is true, but it is important to not confuse living with existing. While the body exists in a space we are easily taken away from the awareness of that space by our thinking. So although we exist in a space by default the conditioned mind and habits will take us on a journey well away from where we are right now. Living now is a little different to living for the moment. Living now, we gently acknowledge the mind and it’s desire to be anywhere but in the present moment, with out criticism we come back to the task at hand, making a conscious decision to make friends with the here and now. I often ask my students: How do we know when we are in the present moment? Simply when you are free of thinking and totally engaged in what you are doing..not thinking about what you are doing. When this happens you are free to live in life as it is unfolding with out trying to control or manipulate life in a way that we want it to be.

Setting the scene for a mindful day.
Before you leave each morning give gratitude for what you do have.
Set an intention. One of mine is; “I am creating the best version of myself moment by moment.”
Smile with in 10 minutes of getting up.

Out in the world.
Develop a light touch to life
Be curious about other people, instead of critical.

Ease your way back to the present moment using the senses.
Listen to the quality of someones voice.
Take time to really look at a flower.
Feel the texture of the clothes on the skin.
Taste your food.

Going further.
Pause between activities
Give attention to the working surface.
Creating a still space during the day simply by giving attention to the breath.

See you in the dojo..

Andy