Be Here Yesterday!

No, I didn’t make it up.

But, we all agreed it would be a great title for a book. 

In our every other Sunday discussion group today, my wife was relating how she was having difficulty falling asleep with thoughts of what she might have said differently at her job. 

Our local sage, Allyn, in a play on Ram Dass’ book title “Be Here Now!” then said this title, referring to how we sometimes feel we could have said or done something more skillfully. 

Allyn said he probably will not write this book, so I appropriated his title. 

Then I was thinking about how I usually don’t think much about the past. 

My worries are more about the future. 

That title would be:  Be Here Tomorrow!

Yesterday and Tomorrow… 

Yup, that is where most of us get lost. 

Lost in our thoughts, worries, ruminations… 

Taking us away from the ever present Now… 

Really, all we ever have is Now, Now, Now… 

When we worry about the past or the future. 

We do that in the Now, over and over again… 

The trick is waking up to this Now… 

 

Right Now!  

There is no better time. 

You don't have to meditate, or take up some esoteric practice. 

You just have to wake up to everything is Now. 

You protest.  

I have to worry about the past, so I don’t repeat those mistakes! 

I have to worry about the future so I can eat, be employed, pay my bills on time. 

Yes, I write down the things I need to do in my smart phone. 

I even set alarms. 

But, then I can let go.  I can plan my day, to leave space, for just being. 

Dropping the worrying, ruminating, planning… 

Dropping the doing… 

Taking time to be… 

Sit or walk, or even exercise vigorously. 

But, do it with a clear, awake mind, a quiet mind… 

Not easy. 

Like training a puppy. 

Bringing the mind back to awake quietude…  calm, open awareness… 

Over and over again… 

Wishing you all a calm, blissful New Year… 

Namaste