"Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans." I think from a buddhist point of view with regards to mindfulness and being in the present moment this is a great quote.
What does it mean to be in the moment? HTML: HTML: HTML: HTML: HTML: HTML: I personally believe there is one person on these forums who knows what it means as his posts have left clues here and there on what the moment is by describing what the moment is not ... HTML: HTML:
In my opinion living in the moment means to not be wishing your life away, always looking forward to tomorrow or an upcoming event in the hope that it'll be better than your present circumstances, and not living in the past worrying about or getting hung up on things that have happened. It's living in the right here and now, it's far easier said than done though...
I agree on the far easier said than done part. And since you've given your opinion on what living in the moment means, allow me to offer mine. Every moment that passes is no longer the moment, but the past. Events that occur, as we observe, sense, are events that are no longer present, but events that occurred in the past. For instance, when we see something (person, place thing -- any object sensed with the eyes) we are seeing past events. When we hear something (any object sensed with the ears) weare hearing past events. Same with taste, smell, touch, thought. From a scientific point of view from the moment of the first appearance of the object (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, thought) to the time it gets to us, a certain amount of time has passed which makes the appearance of the object a thing of the past and not in the moment. So it really is difficult to "live in the moment" when we are attached to the appearances of past events. Same with future events. My opinion is that future events are mere expectations on outcomes based on our attachment to, interactions with, or observations of past events. That is, we sense the appearances of events that occurred in the past and based on these appearances and their movements through time, we create expectations on their outcomes which actually make the expectation itself a wish for the future. Just opinions of my own which may not actually be protrayed in writing as I see them. Darrell
Interesting post. I agree with your analysis of the future. I think expectations are a hindrance to the elevation to "living in the moment" and I genuinely try to live life with no expectations. As I see it, expectation can lead to two things: future confirmation of the expectation or negation of the expectation. In the case of confirmation, the realization of the expectation is met with content. If the expectation fails to come about, however, disappointment often results. Contrast the same event when there is no expectation. The favorable outcome results in a feeling often better than content, possibly even happiness or elation. If the outcome is less than desirable, the reaction will be less than that of disappointment. Without expectation, disappointment is improbable. I feel that this attitude, combined with trying to realize what I can and cannot control, have led me to a more positive mental state. I suppose this is more Taoist than Buddhist though...
Yes ... yes ... this is ultimately true ! Past and future are all concepts based on our need (desire) to attach and cling to appearances. When a moment first appears, it is gone. The imprints it leaves in our consciousness, and our constant recollection of these imprints is what we conceive of as past. Ultimately true also, there is no consciousness. Darrell
