Living in the Present

Okay - I’ll keep on posing questions, you don’t have to answer them.

What does living in the present mean to you? I’d love to hear in the comments section below.

I just started listening to the Power of Now which I originally read 25 years ago. I thought it would be a good time to revisit with all the other audible books I’ve been listening to. It reminded me that all we have is the present. Our mind (and social media) robs us of truly living in the present by bringing up the past or the future - these thoughts can lead to worrying, anxiety, depression, stress, and more.

All these books seem to have a connection, talking about ego and peace and joy and love, and it all comes down to peace and love. From the four levels of happiness to the power of grace to the power of now to walking with God and the introduction to the spiritual life love connects them all. It Reminds me of a Saint Teresa of Calcutta saying.

The fruit of silence is prayer,
The fruit of prayer is faith,
The fruit of faith is love,
The fruit of love is service,
The fruit of service is peace.

Love is giving of yourself fully, without the expectation of anything in return. It is letting go of our ego and not caring whether we are right or wrong. It is living in the present- since we can’t actually live in the past or in the future.

The Hawaiian culture embodies this concept. Ever hear of the term Hawaiian time? It isn’t about being late and on your own time. No, it actually takes time out of the equation and allows us to live in the present - to enjoy whatever it is we are doing such as talk story with one another, enjoying a sunset, or swimming/snorkeling in the ocean with the honu, reef sharks, or spinner dolphins. It isn’t concerned with the constraint of time. When we are present in the moment we are giving our full attention and effort to whatever it is we are doing.

At CMASAS, we’ve designed our educational philosophy to align with this concept. Students work at their own pace, their own time, and are therefore, able to dive into concepts more fully and authentic than in traditional settings of switching subjects every 50-60 minutes and juggling multiple courses and living by the bell. By focusing on few subjects provides for more meaningful learning and more opportunity of staying in the present.

Okay - now for my daily recap:

Breakfast started at 8 am and EVERYTHING in A Guarda was closed until 9 am. I grabbed a quick breakfast and timed my start do that I could stop and grab an espresso on the way out of town. Within 45 minutes it started raining and didn’t let up for over an hour. I was one in a long line of pilgrims on the trail which hugged the coast. At least I packed my waterproof socks and an extra shirt just in case. Both were needed today as there was no escaping the rain this time. No cafes, no covered areas, just the outdoors!

Oia is a small town with very few services - a restaurant, a bar/cafe, a petro station, and a mercado which is closed on Sunday. I went to the bar/cafe and ordered a hamburger - it must have been at least a half pound or more. Plenty to fill me up for lunch and dinner.Читать далее