Tune in to the Present Moment

DAAJI shares 4 simple practices to tune into the present moment and bring about a joyful, contented lifestyle. Doing these regularly will create sustainable peace.

Dear friends, Take a moment to review your day so far. Has your mind been busy with thoughts? Were they full of what to do next, or what has happened in the past? Were you rushing from one task to another, feeling overwhelmed? Did you spend hours scrolling on your phone? Were you multitasking while eating, unmindful of the food? Did you take time to breathe and feel your surroundings, aware of that moment of stillness, rejuvenation, joy and gratitude?

As Thích Nhất Hạnh once said, "We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, or a house, and so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive."

For many of us, being aware in the present moment is a rare occurrence. So, how can we make it happen more frequently? It takes some effort, but once we practice, it becomes second nature to us.