[Nzmoafzn]

So.....you live in the moment, enjoying everything that there is to experience right now. There is no past, no future, less garbage in your head. You read that you should do this to live a happier life.

How do you know when to pay your bills and budget for them? How do you plan for your retirement? When do you think about getting ready for work? For that matter, doesn't driving there require that you think about the street you'll turn down next? Or seeing the traffic light ahead and thinking that it's turning red? You receive a phone call at home, you're invited to go to dinner a few days later. How do you remember to look at the calendar or search your mind for the date and time when it's time to go?

[riverakathy]

Giving 100% of myself presently, without distraction.

[WrinnaArraple]

You know, until recently I have mostly focused on what I was doing in this moment. It did help relieve me of the stress I put on myself when I worried about what I would do down the road. If you don't think about what you once did or will do later on you will be able to focus on what you're doing now and either enjoy it more, or get the task done easier.

[Rndouglas]

No living in the Past.
No living in the Present.
No living in the Future.
This is focusing your life on Time.
Focus your life on Living.
Just Live.

[FliveGell]

So far, and with all due respect, I'm not getting the answers I'd hoped for. It would seem to me that it is almost impossible in today's world not to live with at least half an eye on the future, especially if someone is raising children or taking care of an elderly parent, etc. I can understand not dwelling on the past, but that is also the place where we learned (hopefully) and to apply the knowledge it would seem we'd need to search our memories at times.

[Qauunet]

You have to be selective about what you do in the now to make you happy. You also have to plan what will happen in the future to make you happy so that when you get to that point, you can just think about the 'now' then.

If you live in the 'now' planning to do things that will make you happy in the future, doesn't that make you happy now?

[SasortFkire]

Rake, you ask some tough questions. I am not much of a planner, but then my hubby plans enough for both of us.

The things you have asked about are all important to think about, but I think that the idea of living for today means that you shouldn't borrow trouble. I think we should plan for... say retirement. But I am not going to loose sleep over whether I have enough for that time or not. I am not living for that time, but I am going to enjoy the time I have with my children while I am young. I am not going to worry about what my role is once they are adults and miss out on the today.

Hope my rambling makes sense.

[ycMC0PLg]

No living in the Past.
No living in the Present.
No living in the Future.
This is focusing your life on Time.
Focus your life on Living.
Just Live.

Time and space are human constructs. "When 'God' created the universe he did not say 'one second, one second, one second, one meter, one meter, one meter..." Reality is that everything is happening at once. So if you live in the present you are living in the past and future also, you have no choice, if by no matter than your body begins reacting to events before they occur, no matter how sudden!

Greyface was saying that if you are living in any time frame you are paying too much attention to the time aspect, which as I said above does not exist except in the human conscienceness. Rather than worrying about where or when you are living, just live!

[gambleingsites]

Rake, you ask some tough questions. I am not much of a planner, but then my hubby plans enough for both of us.

The things you have asked about are all important to think about, but I think that the idea of living for today means that you shouldn't borrow trouble. I think we should plan for... say retirement. But I am not going to loose sleep over whether I have enough for that time or not. I am not living for that time, but I am going to enjoy the time I have with my children while I am young. I am not going to worry about what my role is once they are adults and miss out on the today.

Hope my rambling makes sense.

Yes it does.

[TughEmotteTug]

So.....you live in the moment, enjoying everything that there is to experience right now. There is no past, no future, less garbage in your head. You read that you should do this to live a happier life.

How do you know when to pay your bills and budget for them? How do you plan for your retirement? When do you think about getting ready for work? For that matter, doesn't driving there require that you think about the street you'll turn down next? Or seeing the traffic light ahead and thinking that it's turning red? You receive a phone call at home, you're invited to go to dinner a few days later. How do you remember to look at the calendar or search your mind for the date and time when it's time to go?

We have to plan on some things, but those things are based on HOPES, not actualities. The future hasn't happened yet. How many times have you budgeted for something in the future, then had things happen that blew your budget to smithereens? How many times have you planned on a trip, only to have the whole thing fall through? If we realize that they are just hopes, they don't end up taking us to the pits of despair. If we don't, we end up just getting more and more stressed.

Most people live more in the past than in the future. But I have a psychologist friend who helps married couples that are having severe problems. For the first meeting, he takes them in and tells them that there is only one rule for that meeting...neither can talk about anything that happened in the past or might happen in the future. Then he asks each of them what is bothering them "right now". Most of the hour is spent with him telling them that they are dwelling in the past or future. It is amazing how many 'destroyed' marriages he has helped putting back together, using this technique, once he gets through to people that the majority of problems they have, real or imagined, is linked to past or future, but virtually none are problems from right NOW.

[sat23neus2]

Auto pilot, Rake put your mind on auto pilot, then your really not thinking about it,your just doing.

Past...Learn from,not dwell,try to move on.
Present..The here and now,deal with it.Just do it.
Future...there may not be a next day, much less future.Time is to short to worry about the might be's of life.Your adding more stress then need be.

Live now,plan only what you have to as in retirement,doctors appointments etc.With out some of these keys to life you may not be able to have that tomorrow.

Don't make promises that you may not be able to keep.
Everything is subject to change at any given time.

Now I am rambling.

[Crundaangerge]

The rambling isn't bad.

Trust us, it isn't too hard. What are you doing at the moment? Are you working, or relaxing. If you are working, and finding it hard for you to focus on it, take a break and maybe listen to good music. While you listen to it, take in the instruments and voices. Enjoy that moment.

Don't think of what's going to happen later while you're working, just think about what you are doing now, and as you do it don't let it drive you to stress about what you did before it, or after it. It is here, and you can find a way to deal with it. If you can't settle it now, you will find time to settle it later.

While society is all rush, rush, rush and thinking about what you want to do later, just think about what you are doing now. Later will turn into now, and you can focus on that when you can.

Hunting prey is can be hard if you're focused, but it's impossible if you are distracted. There will be times when you can truely focus on what you are hunting. These times are the ones where you are in the moment, is all there is to the world. Not failures or future glories. Just you, your enviornment and your prey.

[stadiaKab]

I don't know that you really can just live in the moment. There always seems to be something in the moment that either directs my attention forward (future) or behind (past). I am not sure that I have the faith or the fortitude to live entirely in the now! This may not be what you were looking for, but I'm just being honest.

[PIORARMADDERI]

"Do what has to be done, when it has to be done, as well as it can be done, and do it that way everytime."

It is feasible to live in the now because if you don't, you cease to live and begin to worry!

[Mangoman]

I don't know that you really can just live in the moment. There always seems to be something in the moment that either directs my attention forward (future) or behind (past). I am not sure that I have the faith or the fortitude to live entirely in the now! This may not be what you were looking for, but I'm just being honest.

Like I said, music is a good way to draw your attention to the now. Don't think about anything else, just listen to it. As you listen to it, take in the melody, the insturments and if there's vocals, them as well.

[enlinnyGoob]

"Do what has to be done, when it has to be done, as well as it can be done, and do it that way everytime."

It is feasible to live in the now because if you don't, you cease to live and begin to worry!

I like that!

[SoorgoBardy]

That's another Zen Guitar quote.
Sensei Sudo was a truly great man. RIP Master.

[UvgpXK0J]

I understand all of the ways that you say you live in the now.......I just don't believe it's possible. There are many times when people leave "now," whether they have any choice or not.

I can go further and say that the original thought about all of this came from seeing The Peaceful Warrior last weekend.

[mazabotman]

Maybe in an ideal world where you had someone to take care of your needs, but realistically speaking I don't believe it's possible.

You can enjoy the moment, but your thoughts are usually going to be elsewhere too. Something as simple as going for a walk. You'll be thinking what time do I have to be back to go shopping, pick up the kids, etc.

[avaiguite]

I understand all of the ways that you say you live in the now.......I just don't believe it's possible. There are many times when people leave "now," whether they have any choice or not.

I can go further and say that the original thought about all of this came from seeing The Peaceful Warrior last weekend.

I've never seen The Peaceful Warrior so I'm not sure what it is about!

How about this concept Rake. There is no past, there is no future, there is only now.
The past and the future are both constantly forming who we are now. So in a way there is no way to live completely in the present, unless you consider that the time/space matrix as we know it is only a human construct and that 'is' really doesn't exist in contrast to 'was' and 'will be'.