Practices for staying present

[joe]

Hi guys. Long time.
What do you do throughout the day to stay anchored in the present? I have always been looking for rituals I can follow. Lacking this I tend to float. My most recent approach is to have a mindfulness timer app that vibrates every 15 minutes to remind me to stay present. It hasn't worked that well. Can you share successful long-term practices outside of meditation of course?

[Dcdc]

I just follow my breathing all day long. In the meantime, when something happens (as a sound, a sensation, the floor touching my foot, etc), I anchor my self on it.

I also try to be aware of every move I do. For example: I'm feeling all the sensations from the keyboard while I write you this message. Other example: if I raise a glass of water to drink, I'm aware of the movement that my arm does.

[joe]

But what about distractions? Don't you lose awareness constantly and for long periods?

[Dcdc]

But what about distractions? Don't you lose awareness constantly and for long periods?

I do lost my awareness/presence a lot of times, but the more I practice, the less that happens. When it happens, it's not a big deal: I just recognize that I lost it, and bring myself to the present moment again.

Also, when it is possible, I use the distraction as an anchor to be present as well. For example: if I'm following my breathing while I walk, and an ambulance passes on the street making a lot of noise, I rest my attention on the sound until I can no longer hear it.

[joe]

Trying to stay present throughout the day but have not found a good method. I tried a timer, but I would tend to become present when it went off and then give myself permission to fall back into the mindstream moments later. What I want is to overcome my ego enough to maintain the desire to stay present continuously, using a timer or other reminder to bring me back when I forget or to check in to see that I am staying present. My ego wants to stay in charge so that I can swim around in my mind. Anyone else have this problem and found a way to get past or through the ego's desire?

[oak tree]

Hi Joe

Yes it is a challenge.

I've started doing self-enquiry throughout the day. Enquiring Who Am I? To whom does this come? It has become effective and usually takes me back to stillness. Perhaps it's not for everyone though.

[Dcdc]

Trying to stay present throughout the day but have not found a good method. I tried a timer, but I would tend to become present when it went off and then give myself permission to fall back into the mindstream moments later. What I want is to overcome my ego enough to maintain the desire to stay present continuously, using a timer or other reminder to bring me back when I forget or to check in to see that I am staying present. My ego wants to stay in charge so that I can swim around in my mind. Anyone else have this problem and found a way to get past or through the ego's desire?

Hello, my friend.

Using a method can be okay when you start, but after some time even the method has to be dropped, because the method creates an expectation, therefore creates a mental connection between you and the future.

My suggestion is:

First: start to do formal meditations sessions. In other words, sit and just be (present) everyday for some time (maybe 20 minutes, 25 minutes; it's your call). This will help you to be used to be present.

Second: when you are living your life, try to rest your attention on your breathing: breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, breathing out. Try to do this all day long. A lot of times you'll lost it, but that's absolutely okay! When you realize that you lost it, just wake up and follow your breathing again: breathing in, breathing out.

Third: when you are feeling any sensation, rest your attention on that sensation until it's gone. For example: if you're walking, you can feel your feet touching the floor. When you're eating your lunch, you can just feel the specific taste of that specific bite. When you're listening to a music, you can just hear the sounds.

After doing these suggestions, you'll be more and more experience, and will be able to drop even the methods and just be present the most that you can.

Oh, one more suggestion: get used to do one thing per time. If you're eating, just eat. If you're walking, just walk. If you are standing waiting for the elevator, just... be (don't look to the smartphone, hehehehe).

Look: there is a lot of scientific research that proves we can't do more than one thing at a time. We have the illusion we can do it, but in fact we just change the object of attention in milliseconds.

The logic is the same between thinking and feeling: if you get used to rest your attention in the present moment (sensations, breathing, inner body, etc.), you will be able to live more and more in a world of awareness and presence (real world) instead of thinking (illusion/form/ego world). If you want to see this, pay attention to the next time you're emerged on a lot of thoughts: you'll see that the more you're emerged on these thoughts, the less you can pay attention to the sensations. When we're emerged on thoughts, sometimes the vision begins to blur, and sometimes we can't even hear some sounds that are happening.

Tell me if I can help you more, and I'm sorry for my english.

Best regards. :- )

[joe]

Thank you everyone. It is hard to see my ego in it when what I want is to stay disciplined so that I don't let my mind take over. You can't just relax, or you won't do anything but continue your ego-driven habits! There must be intentionality! I am thinking about reversing the dynamic however. Rather than strive to be present in a stream of non-presence (which is where we spend most of our time), I can notice that I am NOT present, thereby becoming present. I have to fool my ego.

[Dcdc]

Hello, my friend.

Don't think it's something tense to do. It's a balance.

That's why I highlighted the word rest your attention: because you'll put some attention to do it at first, but it's not something tense and rigid. You'll be aleart, but in a peaceful way, not in a hard/tense way.

Look the presence of this wonderful person: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnLoToJVQH4

Do you think is it hard/tense/rigid for her being present?

My suggestion is: don't think too much of your ego and/or how to unidentify with it. Just rest your attention on your breathing (for example) and get used to be present. :- )

Best regards, Joe.

[rachMiel]

You can't just relax, or you won't do anything but continue your ego-driven habits! There must be intentionality!

Hi joe.

If you work too hard to set good intentions and to stay on-guard all day long ... you can also end up stoking your ego!

Neither extreme, too relaxed or too vigilant, seems optimal for spiritual growth.

Though I guess if your goal is to establish a new set of mental habits, more present-moment awareness and less default-mode-network monkey mind, practicing long and hard might do the trick.

[joe]

Yes!

[selfhealthpro]

If you are mentally healthy than you can stay present everywhere.