Change - Present Tense
The previous post was an introduction to our life timelines in regards to change. As we explore the dynamic of change and the relationship to the past, present and the future, I will present various philosophical concepts.
So let’s proceed: All actions exist in the realm of time and space – and that includes inaction; and our thoughts and actions exist in the field of experience. No one enters this Earth plane without connecting to the world of experience. In our early years of infancy and childhood our human experience is under control or influence: These experiences are circumstantial and of nurture and nature. Our early experiences are more circumstantial until we are able to use or exercise our own will as we come into our individual identity. The formative years of our growth generally have a lasting impression on our entire life, but it does not necessarily have to influence us in all aspects of our adult years. We are free to make further developmental and substantive change as we grow; and as we grow the direction of change becomes more outward and external influences and people outside our familial world is somewhat more significant.
For now, let us concentrate on the aspect of time, in terms of the past, present and future; and, let us continue with factoring change within the present to bridge the past with current reality. A great part of our life is living with learned behaviour, habit, etc. which shapes our daily reality. Some of us maintain what we have learned from our early environments and some of us move away from our early experience. Logically, one would think that most humans would move towards the search for the greatest balance and happiness. This may be the case for some but most people are looking for answers to their past, thus living constantly trying to make sense of things that can no longer be changed. The best way to combat this is to harness the best possible and healthy perspective of our past no matter how good or bad and strive in the present to allow one’s life journey to unfold, and expand rather than narrowing in on experiences that bind us.
One of the secrets to helping oneself to overcome hardship is to constantly bring oneself back into their present mindset. Unfortunately, the only reference most of us have is our past self. So how can we find our present “unrealised “self? Most of us live in the gap, between the past and future. One of the key components of effectively living in the present is to act according to one’s immediate duties and to engage in ‘mind-full’ work of completing all tasks, chores and duties, be it mundane or otherwise to exact a sense of daily accomplishment. The duties and work that keep us in the present state of mind that creates a mental environment of concentrating on current tasks of living; thus, bringing the mind to actively engage in productivity. Right action and work, focussing on the overall completion of a chore or task for oneself (I stress oneself because work for others exist in the realm of others’ expectations, so it is key to engage in individual and personal tasks). When one is able to master their level of personal work and activity towards their present life ; and keeping the mind constant and steady in the activity at hand, without any preconceived attachments, then moving this practice into other aspects of one’s activities and chores for others become easier, with or without criticism. The key factor is engaging in activity without any self-judgment or expectation, just engage in the task at hand keeping focussed on the activity to the best of one’s ability. The present flow of an activity, with single focus of mind will be experienced in present time.