Where are you spending most of your time—the past, present, or the future?
If you primarily focus on your past or your future, you become a ghost in your present. Living in the NOW is where your real power is. In fact, your brightest future and most peaceful past both hinge on your ability to stay in the present, where you’re connected to your intuition and the Divine.
We live in an age of distraction, future planning, and ruminating about the past. So many of us get caught in a cycle of beating ourselves up about the past or longing for something in the future. When we do quiet the buzzing in our minds, we often encounter media discussions about our economic future or some sort of scrutiny about a government decision from 10 years ago. Even the metaphysical community is wrapped up with what’s going to happen in 2012. As a culture, we’re almost allergic to the present!
I have to admit that I’ve had to work to focus on the present over the last few weeks. Over the years, I’ve become really good at staying in the now, but the past and future seemed to be taking up a few more of the pathways in my brain than I’d like. I’ve been meeting with different people about new career opportunities and have found myself looking to the future and thinking about the past with a little too much attachment.
What if it works out?
What if it doesn’t?
What if I did something wrong in my past and that prevents it from working it?
Somehow I just know these exact questions have run through your own mind about something in your life, such as a job, a relationship, or a move.
I talk extensively about present living in my new book, The Enchanted Map of You, which is coming out early next year. I also frequently counsel callers on my HayHouseRadio.com show about letting go of attachment. So, I was able to spot this tendency in myself pretty quickly and let go and let God.
If you’re pining for the past or getting overly attached to the future, you’re in a place I call the Ghostlands and losing your power to act in the now. In the Ghostlands, you become disconnected from the world around you and cut off from inspiration and intuition. The now is where you truly create your future. It’s the place where you’re fully connected to the world around you and to Spirit.
Exercise:
So, how can you let go of stress about the past or future and focus more on the now?
One of my favorite tools to help me stay in the present is a God Box. Even if you don’t feel you’re over focused on the past or future, I highly recommend that you create a God Box to just help you cultivate more peace and mindfulness. And, please note, when I call this a God Box, the word God isn’t meant to have a religious connotation. In this case, “God” represents whatever resonates most for you—a higher power, the universe, the All that Is, Spirit, etc.
First, get a box. You might find one and decorate it, or go out and buy a nice box that speaks to you. Just make sure you love whatever box you use.
Now, every day this week, write a note to God and put it in your box. Tell God what you’re worried about, beating yourself up about, or getting too attached to. Anything goes! Just get all the buzzing out of your mind and then turn it all over to the Universe. You might light a candle and read your note aloud before putting it in the box. Or, maybe play your favorite CD as you write the message each night. Make it a ritual.
As you put your note in the box, say the following aloud:
“Dear God. I’m turning it over to you. Take this burden from me. In your care let this be for the highest good of all. ”
Once you put the message in the box, you’ve turned it over to Spirit. Trust that Spirit is looking out for your highest good and will know how to handle whatever it is.
In addition to making a God Box, meditating and spending time in nature are both great ways to get out of your mind and more into present living. So be sure to take some time for both this week!
Please tell us about your God Box experience and ritual. And you might even put some photos of your new God Box on my Facebook fan page so we can all get creative ideas for making one.
In service and love,
Colette
