Get Present Right Now!

"The past is a concept. The future is a concept. We only have moments to live." Steven Fonso
Yes, you can quote me on that one : )
I wanted to share this thought I had with you to comtemplate.
Where are you living? What stories from the past are influencing your thoughts and actions right now? What fears of the future are influencing your thoughts and actions right now?
Can you pull yourself into right now, the present moment, observe your breathing, observe your movements, observe your position, observe your thoughts, observe YOU. Minus the stories, expectations, dissappointments, or fears. The past is irrelevant. It is now that is important. The past happened exactly as it should have to shape you for this moment. Right now. Can you accept the past and live right now?
If you have some extra time check out this video from Jon Kabat-Zinn www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc  

14 hours of straight meditation

I hear of many patients getting frustrated with their meditative practice, they have trouble making time, or staying focused during meditation time, and they can't seem to get it, or are not good at it. Here is a question. If meditation is about training your brain to stay "present," if it is about going in and out of focus, if it is about being in one single thought, or holding a concentrated focus without other distracting thoughts, then why can't we meditate through our entire waking life? I mean, what if you looked at your entire day as an opportunity to meditate? Let me clarify. Meditation to most means you sit down, and focus. Let the thoughts come together on a single sound, breath, symbol or number. What if that single focus was the person you were with? What if that single focus was your meal, lifting your fork, feeling and tasting the food or swallowing? What if that single focus was groceries? What if that single focus was your body while working out? What if that single focus was the customer you are dealing with? Get my idea? People fret about making time for meditation, and get stressed out that others can do it so well and they can't, but as I see it, from the time you rise, to the time you go to sleep, IS and CAN BE your time to meditate. Your time to be focused and present on the single thing that is in front of you. Imagine a day where you are fully present with whatever is in front of you. Not thinking about where you are going or what happened yesterday. Being completely immersed in the moment of what you are doing or who you are with. That IS meditation. That IS mindfulness. That IS "being in the present moment." Remember people sit down and practice meditation to try to get to that single focus and they bounce in and out of new thoughts. The better the meditator, the better they can hold the single focus. Make it your days mission to do that ALL day. You, at times, will be successful, and other times not. At times you will be able to stay present, and other times not. The same successes and failures are with the meditators that sit for an hour. So go ahead and brag to your friends that you meditated for 14 hours straight!