The Beauty of Mindful Living.

When we consistently think only of the past or the futue, we lose our awareness of the pleasures inherent in the present. After all, the mind can only consciously focus on a finite number of things at any given time. Mindful living , however, is about being here now ( a task far easier spoken about than done), and when we focus on moving from one moment to another, instead of skipping to next week, our unconscious mind becomes free to take in the bigger picture. We begin to realize through our own self-discipline the full capacity of the human being to live.

Mindful living is also about validating the connections between everything, & perhaps most importantly, it's about recognizing beauty in every place, thing, and person with whom we interact. In this way, we cultivate a mutual respect among all living things and we find less to fear and more to love. Love in itself makes all our lives much more happier. The more obvious beauty exsists in our immediate reality - the trees in the yard, the flowers in the garden - but you would be surprised at how much more beauty theres is to see in the world without anxiety's blinders in the way. After some time spent practicing mindful living, al the the importance we have mistakenly placed on the material world falls away and we are left to take in the wonder of life truly experienced in every moment. The key is to learn to see the beauty in those things we fear the most, even (and maybe especially) death.

Mindfulness is no easy task and as with everything worthwhile, it takes time, practice, & above all else, dedication. In order to place ourselves firmly in the present, we must first release the grip that the past and future have on us. There are many ways to do this, & everyone's journey is different. Everyone must find their own way. Some people choose counseling and psychotherapy as a way to let go of potent and ultimately harmful personal memories. Others throw themselves into yoga and meditation, very valuable practices for disciplining their physical and mental states while releasing them from self-imposed limitations. Whatever the method, it must be diligently practiced in order to be an effective mindfulness excercise. In this case, the goal of practice is not perfection, but universal awareness through detachment from our affections for the material world.

Life is not ours to capture, but as with everything else, it is fleeting, intangible, constantly changing. A life intangible as it is, cannot be measured by the fruits of the material world, only witnessed by the universe around you based on the legacy you leave in your wake. The most important decision you will ever make is the nature of that legacy - will it be one of attachment to the insubstantial world or enlightened awareness of the only reality you can count on, that which exsists solely in the moment?

If you have knowledge...let others light their candle in it. We are all connected.