Reflections of the heart: Living in the now

Reflections of the heart: Living in the now

As I hung on for dear life, the river’s rushing water pushed the tube back and forth, carrying me over a series of rapids and down the river.

by Dawn Demers — 

All of your power lives in the now and in this moment. It is in this moment that you have the opportunity to create change and make your desires a reality. To do this, you must live in the present. What is happening in this moment is simply a reflection of what is in your heart. Love creates love, just as fear creates fear.

One memorable experience of practicing staying in the now occurred for me while I participated in a river tubing trip with my family. As I hung on for dear life, the river’s rushing water pushed the tube back and forth, carrying me over a series of rapids and down the river. Having no control over the situation, I often would drop over small rock cliffs.

As if that were not daunting enough, my sense of panic grew as I saw other tubers being flipped out of their tubes and thrown into the large boulders sticking sharply out of the water. Everyone survived with no injuries but, at the time, it seemed quite dramatic.

I had just been reading in Wayne Dyer’s book, Excuses Begone!, about practicing the art of being present. Trapped in this inner tube headed swiftly down the river — and no, I do not like amusement park rides either — I began to focus on the now. I stopped looking down the river to anticipate what pitfalls lay ahead.

Instead, I tried to focus on what I heard in the moment, like the bubbling and rushing sound of the water, the sounds of the jungle as the wind blew through the leaves and the birds chirped. In the now, this sounded like calming music. I focused on the vibrant jungle colors that surrounded me. Whenever I became distracted and lost my sense of the present, I refocused myself on what was going on now.

The gifts I received by being present for this adventure were extraordinary. Even to this day, the memory of that river tubing trip is surreal. I was able to truly enjoy this unique experience and really appreciate my surroundings. It was an amazing adventure that could only be experienced by being in the now.

I encourage you to set an intention to experience life in the now. If you find that you are not happy with your now, do not worry — it will change. The now changes from each moment to the next, based upon where your attention is focused.

Try these simple steps to help you experience the joy of actively living in the now.

Step One: Relax, breathe and shift your vibration by focusing your attention on what you desire to be now. It is your attitude and sense of gratitude for all that has been and for all that is now that will allow you to shift your reality and open the doors to experience even greater moments that are more in line with what you desire.

Step Two: Set your intention to savor each moment and affirm: I accept what is, regardless of my opinion about it.

Step Three: Ground yourself by visualizing roots growing out of your feet and into the earth, anchoring you to the present.

Step Four: When your mind drifts away from the present, bring your attention back. Mentally focus on what you are doing/feeling in that moment — for example, eating, smiling or being warmed by the sun.

By focusing on the now, it is impossible to be anxious or fearful of the future. Choose an activity or several activities each day and set your intention to remain present for them. Remember that by being in the now and acknowledging what is, you can then make a choice to accept it. By accepting what is, you open the doors to change your reality.

Dawn Demers is a Strategic Coach® and energy master who has delivered presentations, workshops and seminars internationally. She is trained and certified in many healing modalities, in addition to having doctoral degrees in business and psychology. acorda.yolasite.com or dwndemers@gmail.com.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 34, Number 2, April/May 2015.