| Every spring I go at least once to the desert | | | | brief exercise. Read it through once to see what |
| here in Southern California. There I take pictures | | | | it's all about and, as you read it again, actually do |
| of blossoms that seem particularly beautiful | | | | it. And for real effectiveness, then close your |
| because they contrast to the plant that produces | | | | eyes and do it once more. |
| them. I relish being there and feeling a part of this | | | | Be Here Now |
| landscape. When I return home, I can again enjoy | | | | As you begin this exercise, I invite you to take a |
| the green plants in my yard. | | | | deep breath . . . and, as you slowly exhale, let go |
| But there are people who find it difficult to | | | | of what happened just a moment ago, right |
| appreciate, let alone enjoy, being where they are. | | | | before you took a deep breath. Just be here |
| Their minds are on something else. Perhaps they | | | | now, in this moment. . . . And now, take another |
| are thinking of places they plan to go where their | | | | deep breath and, as you slowly exhale, let go of |
| surroundings will be green and lush. Or their minds | | | | what you plan to do when you are through with |
| are on the past and other places they have been. | | | | this brief exercise. Simply be here now, in this |
| Instead of taking pleasure in what is right in front | | | | moment. . . . |
| of them (such as looking at a prickly plant with an | | | | As you return to your normal breathing pattern, |
| exquisite flower), they are thinking about some | | | | let each "in" breath be a reminder to be here |
| place or something else. Yet when they get to | | | | now, doing this exercise . . . and let each "out" |
| the next place, they won't be completely there, | | | | breath be a letting go of whatever you are |
| either, because they'll be worrying about | | | | holding onto in the past or whatever you are |
| something or thinking about the where they will | | | | worried about in the future. . . . Take several |
| be going next, and the worries and places after | | | | moments to just be aware of the present |
| that. | | | | moment. . . . |
| When we're in this mode of "don't be here now," | | | | To help you let go of the past and the future |
| we are not likely to feel very spiritual, for | | | | even more completely, you may want to use |
| spirituality requires us to be aware of ourselves in | | | | your breath to remind you to be aware of the |
| a moment in time and to be present to that place | | | | present. You can do this by realizing that no |
| and time. We're also not likely to have the sense | | | | matter how hard you try, you cannot take a |
| of well-being we claim we want. | | | | breath right now (no matter how full you fill your |
| Yet being able to follow your religious beliefs and | | | | lungs) that you can use five minutes from now. |
| or develop spiritual awareness almost always | | | | Similarly, you could not have taken a breath five |
| means that you need to thoroughly experiencing | | | | minutes ago to use right now. Each breath can |
| what you are doing when you are doing it and | | | | only be used for one moment in time. And so, |
| wherever that may be. Of course, I'm not always | | | | allow your breath to remind you to be here now. . |
| able to do it. I can get caught in the details of my | | | | . . |
| activities and to-do lists. Nevertheless, it's a goal | | | | And now, in this moment, feel your back resting |
| well worth shooting for. Life doesn't always | | | | on your chair and notice what that is like. . . . |
| present us with easy, carefree days. Sometimes | | | | Continuing to focus awareness on your body, |
| we have to deal with some pretty prickly | | | | notice your feet and how they feel in your shoes |
| circumstances. Yet even there we may find | | | | or, if you aren't wearing shoes, how they feel |
| beauty and our hearts can open to an | | | | when you wiggle your toes. . . . Now turn your |
| appreciation of the wonderful complexity of the | | | | attention to your hands and what they are doing. |
| universe. | | | | Are they resting on your lap or on the furniture |
| Learning how to "be here now" and simply living in | | | | or do you have a hand on the keyboard or on |
| the moment is only a part of deeper spiritual | | | | the mouse?. . . How does your chest feel right |
| awareness, but it is certainly a major first step. | | | | now? . . . How does your stomach feel? . . . Right |
| When combined with times when you deliberately | | | | now, at this moment, allow yourself to be as fully |
| step away from the busyness of daily living and | | | | aware of your body's sensations as you can. . . . |
| concentrate on being aware of the moment, as in | | | | When you are through, notice that you can |
| meditation, this technique can help you discover | | | | continue to be here now, in this moment, letting |
| many opportunities for spiritual awareness in daily | | | | go of past and future, willing to experience this |
| life. | | | | moment in time which has never been before and |
| In order to learn how to more easily be here | | | | will never be again. In other words, BE HERE NOW |
| now, I recommend you practice the following | | | | because you don't have any other "now. |