The Power of Now

[lumberjim]

I don't really know if I'd call it meditation, ute. What you describe sounds like you're just busy.

Meditation... As I understand it, is to practice simply quieting the mind. To not think in words for a time. It's very difficult at first.

You're not spaced out thinking about how beautiful a flower is, you're actually very alert. When no thoughts are speaking in your head, your other senses deliver a lot more information.

Seeing a flower without trying to name it, or judge it's beauty relative to other flowers (substitute any object). Trying not to see your memory of what that object is, but to be aware of it and the space it takes in the space near you. Feel it, don't interpret it. Hard to put words about not using words together.

The focus on the present moment is just an entry point to that state. Like being a cat, watching a mouse hole. And it really doesn't inhibit your ability to be engaged in your activity. But practicing doing it helps to alert you to your mind or ego taking over in daily life.

Like, when you get mad at someone, and you start imagining what you're going to say to them to make them see their error. You start holding the conversation, playing both roles, in your head. You can get pretty far from the reality of the situation that way.

But if you've practiced being present, it's easier to catch yourself enjoying that inner argument, and recognizing that it's your egoic mind flexing it's muscles, not your being. That being is made of the same things as the opponent, and you can accept that they DID say that thing that angered you and not get twisted up wishing they hadn't or imagining what they'll say next. You can see why it angered you and that you are not the anger, so coming back to your calm demeanor is much easier. You don't give the opponent a wall to smash their anger against, so the confrontation ends immediately.