Being in the Now

Presence and attention are closely linked.

At some point in a deepening yoga practice, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali written around 1600 years ago become of interest. People come to yoga for a variety of reasons. Yet for whatever reason one comes to yoga and at whatever stage of life one is in at the time, it is exactly as it is meant to be. Whether consciously or not, when you begin practicing yoga, you are living the first yoga sutra which states, ‘Yoga begins now’. After beginning, all aspects of the practice lead to mindfully being in the present moment; to being in the Now.

Being present is linked to attention. Henry Miller, an American artist and writer explained,

“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself”.

In our busy lives our attention so often is not on what is now. We worry about the future and replay the past over and over in our minds. Our thoughts are scattered to the winds of what was and what will be. We don’t recognise that the present moment is a haven for us. It is when we can work to fix what has happened in the past and make informed choices to create a better future.

To be fully in the present requires us to still our minds, which is the second yoga sutra; ‘Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind’. A short meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh is an excellent way to begin practicing mindful attention in the present moment:

I breathe in and I still the activity of my mind and body.

I breathe out and I smile.

I breathe in and I am in the present moment.

I breathe out. What a wonderful moment.

For me, the second line brings such relief. That smile is a signpost pointing the way to finding bliss in the present moment, regardless of what is happening at that moment. It allows me, with detachment, to be truly attentive. Now.