How to Be Present

We are so busy these days.  Kids, work, family, friends, house work, yard work, homework…the list goes on.  In fact, how busy we are has almost become a badge of honour or some sort of goal or status symbol.  Our mindset is that it is good to be busy.  We have become addicted to running around.  

While it is good to have a certain level of busyness and activity, this must be balanced out by calmness and rest.   After all, we are human beings, not human doings. 

What does being mean?

Being is not simply doing nothing.  Parking yourself in front of the TV is resting, but it causes you to turn off and go brain dead.  Being is not about turning off. It actually is about reconnecting to yourself. 

Being is about sitting with and contemplating on a problem or situation.  So often when we are confronted with a problem, we jump to action: “What can I do to solve this?”  What if we took some time to sit with the problem for a while, and then do something.

Being is about being present.  Remember Martha and Mary.  Mary took the time to be present for the moment. Martha was too busy and she missed out.

Here’s the tip:  Try being.  At work or school, take a deep breath, centre yourself and be present.  When your health takes a turn; when you receive bad news; when you are having a rough day, take some time to be with the issue at hand. When the precious moments happen; your child holds your finger in her hand; the leaves change colour; your dog greets you when you come home, take a breath and be in that moment.