Concentrate on the Present Moment

When you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten. These words should be kept top of mind for us all, particularly when we find ourselves going through a difficult situation. We walk our path every day, confronting negative energies and interactions that put us down and make us feel inadequate. These feelings of inadequacy stem from our own insecurities which are a result of negative life experiences. And it is our reactions to these negative life experiences that keep us in a constant cycle of repetition.

It is only when we become consciously aware of this constant cycle of repetition that we can ensure that we face our fears and overcome the lesson. Our growth both emotionally and spiritually is dependent on overcoming our fears and facing our demons head-on. Finding the positive spin to every situation in which we find ourselves is what takes us up another step and facilitates our constant movement and development. Maintaining a positive attitude and outlook will ensure that the momentum of our development is maintained.

Remaining under a cloud of negativity will only bind our feet and prevent us from progressing and expanding our awareness. And it is expanding our awareness that will open our minds to future positive experiences and future positive growth. Living now and in the moment, every moment of every day, allows us to be consciously aware of our reality and also allows us to fully see that someone else’s reality is not ours, which in turn allows for complete acceptance and understanding of the people around us and ourselves. It is when we do not focus on the result and focus more on the experience that we fully live in the moment.

These wise words spoken by Buddha encompasses all that we need to know : ‘Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment’. So let’s do this together, encouraging each other along the way. Make your friends and family aware of what they are focusing on and in everything that you do, constantly bring yourself into the present moment. Whilst it is good to plan and planning for our future is essential, leaving a gap between what is now and what is the future hinders our ability to blend the two.

Finding peace and accepting who we are, is, for all of us, a continuous journey of revelation, introspection and challenge. So much of our self is revealed to us through ‘aha’ moments. Those moments that make us stop in our tracks. Those moments that force us to reflect on our reactions and actions in certain situations, interactions and events.

When we are forced to look at ourselves, literally facing up to who we are, it is easy to hide behind excuses and find blame outside of ourselves. But when we consciously accept that our perception is our reality and therefore how we react and interact is based on our perception of our reality, then we can begin to see that self-blame and pity is useless and just wasted energy. And we begin to see that seeking blame outside the self, is just as futile.

So what do you we do, I hear you ask. Self-acceptance leads to acceptance of others, which creates a ripple effect into the world. So begin by accepting yourself and your life choices. Accept that everything is as it is because of the choices that you have made, even if some of those choices have been because of circumstances outside of your control. Know that the path that you walk is one for your benefit and growth. Know that the path that you walk is the only thing that separates you from someone else and when you can totally accept that this is so, both self-acceptance and acceptance of others will come naturally and you will find yourself wondering why you ever wrestled with the concept in the first place!

We need to traverse the continuous journey of our soul, treading our path as it is lit for us. There will be times when our path runs parallel with others and there will be times when it runs transverse. It doesn’t matter either way. Accept that we are all different, yet at the same time, all the same. We cannot be anything else as we are all an expression of the Great I Am, the Mighty Creative Spirit that created all that is and continues to create all that is and ever will be. There is a greater universal plan which is watched over at all times by the Great Lords of the Universe with wisdom, love and understanding to a degree that we cannot fathom.

Accept your path and make the absolute most of it. Not through playing the role of the victim but through playing the role of the victor. Through every bit of your life journey, there will always be good times and there will always be bad times. Know that the bad will always be outweighed by the good and that nothing ever comes your way that you cannot handle. Find your inner peace and hold on to it with a fury and determination that makes you work every day.

Becoming complacent and relaxed does not help you to grow and you cannot grow until you have that deep-seated comfort and knowledge that you are guided daily and looked after daily and that your lessons are for you but can be shared at the same time. Make your inner peace your life goal, achieve it and constantly work to maintain it – seek yee first the kingdom of God, and all things will be added unto you.

To be guided by our emotions and live our lives in hope, is something that most of us can relate to. We allow ourselves to be easily hurt and offended. We allow ourselves to believe in ‘if only.’ We find comfort in believing that we feel the way we do because of something that happened and is happening outside of ourselves.

We know deep-down inside that we are only fooling ourselves into a false sense of security. For finding blame and searching for the cause of our problems outside of ourselves, enables us to not look within. Going within and finding out for ourselves who we really are, is a task that is difficult to face and in fact most of us spend our entire lives, avoiding this very thing.