The past week has been a bumpy ride in my life but what I realized today was that being in the present moment was the one thing that brought inner peace quickly. The person who has been the biggest guide for me with this is Adyashanti. I highly recommend his books and meditation cds.
What I noticed this week is that whenever something unexpected would happen I would go straight to the feeling of overwhelm and I would be flooded with memories of other overwhelming times. We were negotiating a contract on our house, and it was very hard to get everyone on the same page, working through realtors rather than speaking directly. I had to step out of old childhood memories of miscommunications and back into my present moment in which every person was trying to understand what was happening. I could feel calm in the present moment and two seconds later, overwhelmed if I moved to old memories and ideas.
It sounds a bit strange to think that being in the present moment could be that powerful an antidote to fear, but try it. Ground yourself by imagining you feet sinking deeply into the soil of the earth and if imagining is not strong enough for you, literally squat down on the earth. Then notice every tiny thing around you and notice that in this very moment you are fine. Once you have that brief window of peace, you can use your mind to help you to trust that what is happening is meant to be happening and that you will find your way through it. You only have to take the next step. Reminding yourself to ground, and to be in the present moment is an ongoing effort, not a one time event. I know very few people who can stay in the present moment continuously–and most of us still need to practice it over and over. The gift is that it really helps during these very stressful times.
One Response to From Overwhelm to Inner Peace–The Present Moment