The Present - Does It Exist??

[CarolineD]

Absolutely agree!

Originally Posted by SerpentSun

The past is history, the future is a mystery, but right now is a gift. That's why it's called the present! So why waste each moment pondering how long exactly it lasts? I struggle enough with regretting the past, with worrying about the future; right now is all I got haha. Spend the present moment savoring each breath, if nothing else. Not every being has the privilege of lungs! Peace.

[Squatchit]

Originally Posted by organic born

There's a little experiment that I've been trying on myself that seems to make this alignment with the now more enjoyable and better functional. Instead of focusing on the present, which recedes as soon as it occurs, place your attention just a half a second or so on the stream of time as it arises to greet us. Project comfort and calm onto this approaching of immediate time and then watch it wash over you as a most pleasant response.

I tried this today briefly, but found it quite difficult. This surprised me as I'm normally quite good with using my imagination. I kept imagining a sort of slow wave coming towards me, but it had reached me by the time I'd got to the comfort/calm bit.

Can you describe what you do exactly, or give any handy tips? I suspect this exercise is really going to help me - especially in the next few weeks.

Thanks in advance.

[SpiritofZoe]

I've heard it described as a handshake between the past and the future.

[organic born]

Originally Posted by Squatchit

I tried this today briefly, but found it quite difficult. This surprised me as I'm normally quite good with using my imagination. I kept imagining a sort of slow wave coming towards me, but it had reached me by the time I'd got to the comfort/calm bit.

Can you describe what you do exactly, or give any handy tips? I suspect this exercise is really going to help me - especially in the next few weeks.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Squatchit :)

This requires no effort and it's likely best not to attempt to 'imagine' in the usual way. Meaning, don't picture yourself doing so, just be present and relax to the flow.
I've seen where you've been lucid dreaming fairly often. Remember how it is when you awaken within a dream?
You are "present" and alert in a wonderfully timeless manor.
Now focus in this way and simply lean into this flow just a teeny little bit,
bend toward what is coming as it's coming.

Comfortably feed into this, the voice of "okayness".

This is an inner-consciousness rhythm where we are 'allowing' ourselves to experience open-knowing,
only this 'knowing' is more immediate and not a big-picture pursuit..
it's wonderfully simplistic..
there's no thought involved, it just is. :)

[organic born]

Originally Posted by r6r6r

Science? I was talking about how perception of 2D { planar } and 3D { volumetric } geometry.

I then present concept of a minimal 3D tetrahedron that oscillates between outside-out and inside-out. This could take place at quantum level and speed-of-radiation.

This pattern would be that of a triangular based di-pyramid. See link. The first atomic clock was likened to this pattern.

Then I give a visual of future > past as associated with our human, bilateral processing.

So what does it feel like when you personally "go" there? What does such an experience entail? :)

[Squatchit]

Thank you organic born (I was going to give you a nickname of 'orgy' but thought better of it!). You've described the process perfectly and I'll be trying it out regularly over the next few days.

[organic born]

Originally Posted by Squatchit

Thank you organic born (I was going to give you a nickname of 'orgy' but thought better of it!). You've described the process perfectly and I'll be trying it out regularly over the next few days.

I like "orgy".. "organic born" is a little laborious and "OB" is not nearly as creative as orgy.. Please feel free to address any of my posts with your naturally intuitive and creative inclinations! :)

The one thing about this approach that we're discussing is that essentially we are doing this anyway. We do so unconsciously. We "feed" into each moment what we expect it to be. We persistently "charge" our experience with time with both assertion and complacency. So, without realizing it, we are basically doing what I'm describing, but, when left unchallenged, we've been doing so in a way that's generally outside of our conscious participation.

The impetus is to step-in and help influence the manor in which this "feeding-into" unfolds. This would be easier for you to do because you've awakened within dreams, were the context and emotional content is more flexible and less defined. So you are freer to maneuver perceptually, within your waking experience, with a much looser definition of how things need to be-perceived and expressed.

This also helps to 'consciously' ground you in the moment. It draws your attention to the immediate-present and lessens the weight of past and future involvements/concerns. We are still attached to our past and future speculations/introspections but in a non-pushy sorta way as we step-in and influence intentionally. We can retrieve past/future as we wish, and dismiss them when so inclined. :)

[r6r6]

Originally Posted by organic born

So what does it feel like when you personally "go" there? What does such an experience entail? :)

Go where? You've lost me as to what your talking about? Sorry

r6

[organic born]

Originally Posted by r6r6r

Go where? You've lost me as to what your talking about? Sorry

r6

I'm not at all surprised. We are both approaching this subject from differing perspectives. Yours is more intellectually modern, while mine is more primal and more focused on experiential engagement.
Each approach would be exploratively valid,
within the context of how we investigate the fundamental essence of such things. :)

[r6r6]

Maybe what your talking about is valid. I dunno since I really have no idea what its is your going on about. Again, you've lost me as to what it is you think you may be trying to convey.

'Go where?' You seem to avoid direct questions or other statements by me, that, Ive presented to you. r6

Originally Posted by organic born

I'm not at all surprised. We are both approaching this subject from differing perspectives. Yours is more intellectually modern, while mine is more primal and more focused on experiential engagement.
Each approach would be exploratively valid,
within the context of how we investigate the fundamental essence of such things. :)