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Being Fully Present
From Spirituality for Busy People
By Mark Thurston
The greater an individual, the more content an individual may be.
Reading 347-2
Strong forces – both inside ourselves and from the surrounding world – are always trying to keep us focused on what’s to follow. An inner restlessness makes us want to escape from the here and now as soon as possible. Why can’t we be fully present to this moment? Why must our attention be continually drawn to the future?
No doubt there are many reasons for our attempts to escape from the present moment. But whatever those excuses may be, one fact is inescapable: True enjoyment of living can happen only in the now. We’re never happy when we’re trying to avoid ourselves and bypass our lives the way they are right not.
Edgar Cayce’s philosophy refers frequently to contentment: the continuing ability to find peace and meaning in the current situation. He called it a measure of one’s greatness – an indicator of one’s inner development and understanding.
Contentment isn’t satisfaction; it isn’t a willingness to settle for the status quo. It leaves room for the desire for growth and improvement. But contentment recognizes and appreciates that what’s happening right now is meaningful – worth being experienced fully and without any compulsion to move on to what’s next.
To be content you must learn to say to yourself, “I’m in no hurry for this experience to end.” Of course, that’s easy when the event or situation is pleasant. It’s a much bigger challenge when things are uncomfortable or even painful. This slogan of contentment – “I’m in no hurry for this experience to end” – does not equate to resignation; it’s not a matter of giving in to unhappy circumstances. Instead, it’s an affirmation of two spiritual principles”
• What’s going on right now is purposeful, and
• Nothing’s going to change permanently unless we listen to and appreciate the lessons that life brings us.
The irony of contentment is that paradoxically things do start to change for the better. It’s all because of a willingness to stay with the moment and experience the fullness of what it offers. When we fight something and wish it would pass quickly, it has the opposite effect: The burden seems interminable.
Give contentment a chance in your life. Try it out. Even though it sometimes seems to invite prolonged discomfort, the way you will begin to experience events may surprise you. Try saying to yourself when caught in a traffic jam, “I’m in no hurry for the light to turn green,” and really mean it. Or when your mind starts wandering to your next appointment, try saying to yourself, “I’m in no rush for this meeting to end.”
The secret is to use this affirmation as a trigger. It serves to put you in touch with the positive possibilities and the deeper meaning of the present moment – something your busy, impatient mind may prefer to avoid.
Mini-motivator: Dedicate one day especially to contentment. Don’t be so concerned about what comes next. Be willing to accept and appreciate the present moment and all it brings.
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