Power of Now

[IAmNow]

Has anyone practised the power of now, leaving behind the memory of the past and anticipation of the future to just be? Any experiences of what happens when the mind stops functioning temporarily? And any good methods that would be of use in this practice.

[CFTraveler]

I used the meditative techs (or awareness technique) he described in his first book. I think I may have written about it (a very simple tech, just like he describes it) in the Book section of this forum.

[D.O.]

It is always NOW literally speaking.

Just don't be distracted by your thoughts.

[chrystalpaths]

It is the NOW that matters to each of us.

A simple exercise is to awaken each day and take just 10 minutes to look out your window,
go thru your body head to toe and then think of what you want for this day.
Leave yesterdays behind and look at how this day can improve you, your life, and the lives of others.
They call it the "present" for a reason, each day is a gift.
Treasure it, embrace it, even when you don't want to get out of that safe bed.
Do one good thing at least each day to make your world better.

I live in such a world. I am blessed to have the environment to surround me.
Many live in cities but still, your bed, your safe space in time and place is a lovely place
at days end and beginning to just embrace the moment and leave everything else to fall away.

The past is written, no redo allowed.
The future will be written according to how you lived that day, today.

I hope your today has good within it.
Smile at people, make em wonder what you're so happy about even if yer not.
They'll smile back and then you may well feel the spark of "that felt good".

[Archimedes]

When I can I try to be in the now. It is hard but the more you practice the easier it gets.....It is a slow process though.

[Neil Templar]

And any good methods that would be of use in this practice.
[Vipassana meditation ] (http://www.dhamma.org/)

[Tutor]

it is what it is because you are who you are. this is unavoidably true, is unchangeable, regardless of all subjective and objective definitive duplistic distraction. the best method is no method. the best result arrives to an ability to leave it be, to live and learn. the best experience is any and all experience having come (water under the bridge), especially that which blindsided out of the blue, make peace with it. because there is no getting even, there is no atoning. readiness receives in due time, even if we dont/didnt know we are/were ready. i quite see it as that there is no knowing when, where, what, who, why. but understandingly, the how of it is ever the you now living in it, the present life. you are the now (living the life), and have no requirement to practice being you as if life is living you. just be you, just breathe, release

now is like one's lover, you dont have to know your lover, you just need to be their lover too. touching and being touched happen simultaneously. ya reckon?

tim

[Originalstar]

That sounds like samadhi, why not look into achieving this? I've heard of the "hardcore' meditators (one I know) getting to that point in a month.

The only thing I think may help you that I know of is point meditation. Focus on a point and don't blink or look away. Just watch it for 30 minutes or so and breath deep and slow. Relax and let thoughts pass. Try that for a month.(everyday for at least 30 minutes)

[Tutor]

a dry, hard and light sponge is dropped into a bucket of water. at what point is the sponge required to achieve absorption? yet one must wonder what requirements called for the sponge in reaching the state of being wrung, dried out and hard = absorbent.

what is not within a single molecule of water that is not within an entire bucket of water molecules?

does not a sponge understand itself to be a sponge only upon being completely wrung, dried out and hardened? is not a sponge when fully/heavily asorbed of water, appetites softly emergent, lost in forgetfulness of itself, completely absorbed in water?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExRHyiDpq0A&feature=related

so, one has achieved reaching samadhi? the light was in the darkness, and the darkness knew it not.

for a mere you to merely be you; there was, is and ever shall be...at once...samadhi. maha|great

why Buddha is crying (song with melody)...why Buddha is laughing (story with a moral/s)...why Buddha is happily rotund (dance with steps)...etc.

understand?

and the meek shall inherit the earth

samadhi, the eighth limb, is non-dualistic; yet of the midst, 'great' and 'meek/meagre/mere' to within are a dualistic given.

perhaps soft would instinctively see life as hard; and hard would intuitively see life as soft

[AstralCB]

Has anyone practised the power of now, leaving behind the memory of the past and anticipation of the future to just be? Any experiences of what happens when the mind stops functioning temporarily? And any good methods that would be of use in this practice.

I have started reading the book 'The Power of Now' just yesterday. The words in it are quite powerful if you really understand what he is saying.

I was at work and have been training someone to be able to do the basics of my job. Well, yesterday was his time to try on his own without me standing over him so I decided to start reading the book and got through about 20 pages when the guy I was teaching asked me to come over to where he was working. I stood up and as I was walking to him and started replying to his question (I was also running the new ideas of how to be through my consciousness), the whole room started expanding and everything came into a better focus. It only lasted about 4 seconds, but it was awesome and I could feel the start of something I have only felt one time before.. Bliss. Just from reading the book and applying what he was saying, I had my first 'Now' moment, even though it was very brief.

I continue to read this book, but at a controlled pace because there is a lot to understand. I plan on reading this book many times over if it takes that to get me better at getting into the 'Now'.

[CFTraveler]

When I was reading it (the first and only time I've read it) I also had a peak experience when I had it. It was many years ago (before it was known) and I remember how I felt at the time.

[IronGega]

i heard about it but never looked at it until one days I did a search on the phrase. "the ego can't live in the present" and the book poped up. that was at the beginning of this month. when i practiced living in the moment I felt such peace i never felt before. i been used eft and that never even gave me such long lasting peace.

the longest i can remember since i started practicing it is 2 days. of course im prone to living in my head so i have to practice