Who would have thought that something so simple as focus would be the key to either naturally moving into or away from Now moments?
Okay, so what does that mean?
Focusing is the job of your conscious mind. It can be the act of placing your attention upon something you wish to achieve. Or it can be the act of focusing upon something that places you into a light trance like watching movies, television, playing video games or reading a novel. Or it can be the act of your subconscious mind as it overwhelms you with doubts, fears, worries and concerns.
So what part of you is focusing your attention is just as important as what you focus upon.
There is another type of focus that brings you into Now awareness. It is the action of watching without judging or psychological thoughts. This type of choiceless awareness is the focus that allows for Now Consciousness.
When you think about it, everything happens in the Now. You can think or worry about the future, but when do you think about it...in the Now. You can also reflect upon the past and think about it, but you also think about it...Now. It is impossible to do anything other than in the Now.
Why not experience it for yourself? Right now, take a few moments to focus on something, preferably on any object. It can be outside like the trees, clouds, cars or houses, or inside on objects in our room.
Now see how long you can focus before your thoughts intrude. Try it right now.
How long were you able to focus without thoughts interfering?
The more you focus the more you become aware of how psychological thoughts intrude upon your focus. How often they interfere with your life. If you watch closely you begin to realize that the very movement of thought creates the thinker, that your ego comes alive when thought comes alive. That when you focus you are actually opening up your being and what you focus upon manifests.
And while focus is the key to being in the moment, you begin to realize how often your ego takes you where it wants you to go, to focus upon what it wants you to do. Either worry, concern, stuck in the endless "what ifs" of life, all a movement of your ego staying in charge of you through the power of focus.
As you wake up to these moments, you become aware of how challenging it is to focus upon what it is you do want. With continued awareness, you begin to experience more and more moments of silence, of a stillness. And in such moments of non-egoic movement the Now awareness naturally is there.
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