On Veterans Day, I took a hot yoga class with a theme that focused on remaining in the present moment. Throughout the practice, the instructor cued a way for the group to calm a wandering mind. She repeated, and I quote, "It is the space somewhere between sensation and your breath where you will find the present." After reflection, I chose these words of wisdom as the talking point for this week's post.

Mindfulness is a word that describes staying in the present moment without regard for past or future events. Here are a few practices that assist in this endeavor: meditation, guided meditation, yoga, tai chi, Qigong, forest bathing, etc. A qualified instructor or guide can teach these tools one-on-one or in a group/retreat setting. Through diligent practice, one can calm their mind (which may still wander) by continually returning to the breath. However, I will suggest a different type of mentor to begin your present-centered journey - our friends in the animal kingdom.

The beings of the animal kingdom have a natural ability to stay in the present, as that is all they know. To begin your instruction in mindfulness, take the opportunity to observe your pet, bird, or fish in their environment. If you do not have a pet, go to the zoo or take in shows on Animal Planet. These species' survival depends on living in the present moment, which applies to predator and prey (more crucial to wild versus domesticated animals). Observe how animals move from task to task without regard to what just happened or what is about to come. Most animal friends are stress-free and only become so when they read our emotional state(s), which leads to illness (through aging or mistreatment). I am neither a veterinarian nor an animal psychologist, so please feel free to add to this discussion if you have more knowledge on this subject matter.

We can learn much about mindfulness by observing animals (I used to love how Vino would stare out our picture window for hours at a time watching life go by), so add this practice to your toolbox if you feel inclined to do so. Now, returning to my Veterans Day yoga class, I leave you with the following quote (as shared by the instructor) that closed out the practice -

"There is never anything but the present, and if one cannot live there, one cannot live anywhere." - Alan Watts.

Until next time -

 Namaste,

Tim

The following is a 9 hour video (just spend a few minutes of your time visualizing that it is being seen through the eyes of a dog - always in the present and moving forward).