Living in the Moment

  When learning about transformative practices there are certain things that are recurrent, regardless how diverse the teaching is. One of these is living in the moment - or total presence. This state is where we cease to consider our past or future and truly experience what is happening to us at any given time.

  Because of the human capacity to trawl the past and ponder the future for most of our lives, such moments are usually few and far between. Meditation will help, as will being captivated by certain people. There are many such moments in life and certain triggers to help to recognise them. Being aware of how our body feels, what is going on around us and concentration on the task at hand are all factors to help us to fully experience pure awareness.

  Last night I played football for the first time this year. I play on most Tuesday nights but have not played for 3 weeks because of the festive break. The first run-out after Christmas is always a little more demanding after the festivities.

  As I arrived at the outdoor venue the temperature showed -9 degrees C. I can honestly say that playing under such conditions is an exercise in pure awareness. From the initial burning cold on my hands to the frozen sweat and perspiration on the hairs of my eyebrows and nose. It provided a great incentive to keep running. 

  There were no opportunities for my attention to drift anywhere else except my place on that football pitch. It was an exercise in total presence and has given me a timely reminder of the importance of such a state.

  The small patch of sweat which froze to my back after the game was as comprehensive a warm-down as I've ever had. Pure awareness has many different faces - recognising and appreciating them is the key to experiencing more such moments.