The Importance of Now - Oliver Wedgwood

You've probably heard of mindfulness, and phrases such as 'being in the present moment' or 'being in the Now', but what exactly does this mean and why is it such a beneficial practice?

In this blog post, I explain some of the many scientifically accepted benefits of mindfulness, and go further to describe an interesting spiritual viewpoint of how being 'in the Now' can help us to embody more of our true self.

Mindfulness, or being in the Now moment, is when we are consciously present and aware of each passing moment.

Have you ever had a discussion with someone who is distracted and not really listening to what you're saying? Their mind was probably worrying about the future or dwelling on a past experience, rather than focusing on you. They were not in the present moment and we can feel the lack of connection.

How to be happier

Unfortunately, it is very easy to become lost in our thoughts, which means that we tend to miss the richness of experiences that are happening right under our noses.

In 2010, a Harvard study¹ observed that most people are not paying attention or fully engaged 47% of the time.

More importantly, this study concluded that mind-wandering is an excellent predictor of happiness, or rather lack of happiness. The authors found that the more we are in the present moment, the happier we tend to be.

Benefits for Mind and Body

Cultivating mindful awareness brings with it many other well documented benefits including:

lowering stress
helping us to cope better in adverse situations
lowering blood pressure
treating heart disease
reducing chronic pain
improving sleep

Furthermore, mindfulness practice is now commonly used in psychotherapy for the treatment of a number of mental health problems such as:

depression
substance abuse
eating disorders
couples’ conflicts
anxiety disorders
obsessive-compulsive disorder

A Deeper Spiritual Benefit

So mindfulness practice significantly benefits our minds and bodies. But what's happening at a spiritual level when we become aware of the present moment?

I recently listened to a channelled message from Anne Tucker who connects with the angelic realm. In this message, the angels explain that time creates many 'selves' within us. So when we are dwelling on the future, or lost in the past, we split ourselves up into many different parts and end up 'diluting' our true nature. We're not really 'here'.

We are on this planet to experience life, to heal limiting beliefs and to discover and express our true nature, which is that of Source - of love. If we split ourselves up like this, we diminish all of these endeavours.

Being in the present moment is like letting more light, more truth and more love flow through us. No wonder mindfulness is a powerful healing therapy.

As a human being, we only embody part of our full self (our Higher Self) in our chosen incarnation. This part, which is experiencing life on Earth, is what we call the Soul.

Anne's angelic message goes on to explain that when we are in the Now moment, more of our Higher Self can be embodied in us. We become more present and therefore more fully 'us'.

We have no idea of the beauty, love and magnificence of our Higher Self, so allowing just a fraction more of it into us is likely to manifest so much more love, compassion, peace, light and inspiration in our lives.

I'm reminded of the Taoist principle that Chi (or Qi), our life force energy which surrounds and flows through us, only exists in the present moment. Becoming more present means that we have access to more Chi so we can enjoy more energy, better health, mental clarity and emotional balance.

Interestingly, Anne Tucker's message also explains that over the coming years, being aware of the present moment will become easier for humanity to achieve, so we'll be able to draw more of our Higher Self into us.

How To Become More Present

We can bring mindfulness to any kind of activity, whether it's washing up, driving or chatting with a friend. Ask yourself, "What is happening right now? What am I feeling and experiencing? Am I fully here, focusing on what I'm doing?"

The practice of meditation is the cultivation of mindfulness. But don't worry, meditation is not about achieving a 'blank' mind. It is simply watching our thoughts arise, and then letting them go, often by returning our focus to our breathing.

Music

This past year I have been wondering why music has been such a big part of my life. For those of you who don't know me, I love singing and playing jazz. While I was writing this article, a possible answer came to me; playing music helps to bring me into the Now.

I believe that music is a very special gift from the spirit world, so it would make sense that listening to, or playing music, takes us into the present moment. As a result, we become more whole.

How interesting that music is often said to be healing for the soul!

Finding Your Flow

For you, it might be something else that brings you into the present moment, giving you that feeling of flow where the hours just seem to fly by. Perhaps it's painting, writing, being in nature, playing sport, reading or watching a film? What is it that brings you into the Now moment?

Try Mindfulness

I invite you to practice becoming more mindful in your life, even if it is just for a few moments each day to begin with.

Have fun and be playful with this practice, and see if you can catch yourself when you are lost in thought about the future or past.

When you do catch yourself, don't give yourself a hard time, but simply smile and bring yourself back to the present moment. What are you feeling in your body? What is going on around you? What thoughts are popping up?

The simple act of noticing when you are not in the Now will strengthen your mindfulness muscles, just like doing reps in a gym. You might even like to try meditating for a few minutes each day over a month and see what happens.

Thank you for reading! I leave you with some words from Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment:

Time isn’t precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you perceive as precious is not time but the one point that is out of time: the Now.

That is precious indeed. The more you are focused on time - past and future - the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is.

What is your experience of being in the Now? I'd love to hear your comments.

Wishing you awareness of the present moment and all the benefits that this brings for your mind, body and soul.

Olly