Awakening Beyond Ego (Part 6 of 7): Embracing the Present Moment
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The Power of the Present Moment
The present moment is the only moment in time that can ever be experienced.
But you might about ask: what about the past and future?
Didn’t we already experience what happened in our past, and if it’s meant to be, won’t we experience more in the future?
Yes, that part is true.
However, when you were experiencing those moments in your past, it wasn’t your past at that time. It was actually the present moment.
And when you experience moments in your future, it won’t be in your future anymore. It will be the present moment.
So, if you think about, the present moment is the only moment that we can ever truly experience.
All other moments, whether in our past or future, are simply thoughts, not actual experiences.
So, it’s no surprise that we are able to liberate ourselves from the ego when we are in the present moment — because we are beyond the boundaries of thought.
You see, the ego lives in thoughts of the past and future but never in the presence of now.
This current moment is a safe haven and sanctuary that is unfortunately ignored and forgotten in today’s fast-paced world.
And that is why we are going to spend some time in this post to talk about the importance of embracing the present moment.
The Challenges of Being in the Present
We are always dwelling on the past and planning for the future, that we hardly create space for being in the present moment.
Don’t get me wrong, “being in the present moment” is a beautiful catch phrase that we can all talk about for days.
But how many of us actually live by it?
I’ll start with myself and openly say that living in the present moment can be hard at first.
Although I have experienced moments of deep presence before, they have usually been few and far between, especially in the beginning of my awakening journey.
And this is really no surprise.
It took years for the ego to wire our minds to think and believe a certain way, so reversing these egoic influences won’t happen overnight.
It takes time.
But herein also lies a great danger.
By recognizing the fact that it takes time to reverse the ego’s influences, we can actually fall into another one of the ego’s traps.
In other words, we shouldn’t try to focus on some future state where we have transcended the ego.
Because transcending the ego can only happen in the present moment, never in the past or future.
The ego is so clever that even when we try to liberate ourselves from it, it turns our spiritual progress into a goal that is then fueled or hindered by our thoughts.
For example, if we’re making encouraging progress, the ego will try to inflate itself by telling us how “pure” or “spiritual” we are.
Sometimes, this can be enough to make us arrogant and to think that we are better than someone who is supposedly not as “spiritual.”
On the other hand, if we’re present for a few minutes but then get swept back into our egoic thoughts, the ego will try to make us feel down or unworthy, discouraging us from ever living in the present moment again.
In fact, this is something a lot of us experience when we start meditating.
For the first few minutes, everything is going smooth, until the ego suddenly raises some interesting questions: Why are we doing this? What’s there to gain? Can’t we be doing something more productive?
These are just some of the many questions the ego will create to make us doubt our awakening journey.
In the beginning of our journey, we associate a lot with our thoughts, and so when we hear these thoughts in our mind, we think that they are coming from a place of wisdom and insight.
We think they are coming from our soul or the essence of who we really are.
However, the truth is that they are coming from a place of doubt and mistrust.
And the author of this doubt and mistrust is none other than the ego.
This is why we have to be extra vigilant.
Because living in the present moment is not some goal that you acquire in the future.
It’s something you already have now.
It’s something that already is — whether you actually experience it or not.
The ego will try to trick you back into your unconscious thinking and behaviors, but don’t be fooled by it.
Instead, think less, observe more, and feel the peace and joy of what is unfolding now.
This is especially true when you are experiencing something you don’t particularly enjoy.
For example, if you don’t like doing chores, don’t just moan or complain whenever you have to do them.
Treat them as an opportunity to be fully present in the now.
Observe what it’s like to feel the water trickling down your hands when you wash the dishes.
Allow yourself to be carried away by the calming drone of the vacuum.
Notice and appreciate every tree, plant, and creature when you step outside to take the trash.
Each of these experiences are windows to the present moment.
They are windows to escaping the ego.
And as boring or unpleasant as they may seem on the surface, they are actually the best reminders for being in the present moment.
For the more immersed you are in what is unfolding now, the less immersed you are in your mind and thoughts.
And the mind is the only place where the ego can ever control you.
It’s not like the ego is someone who shows up to your house one day and beats you into submission.
If that were the case, we would just set up an alarm system, put up our defenses, and maybe even hire some security.
But unfortunately, the ego doesn’t work like that.
It doesn’t beat you up from the outside in.
It beats you up from the inside out.
It beats you up in your mind.
In fact, it beats you in such a silent but destructive way that you hardly ever realize it, yet the damage is sometimes there for years, if not forever.
Sometimes one bad thought or experience can scar us for a lifetime if we don’t detach ourselves from it.
But the good news is that we don’t have to subject ourselves to the ego’s constant beatings.
We know that if we live in the present moment, we can protect ourselves from such beatings, and eventually escape them entirely.
But now that we know this, how exactly do we live in the present moment?
How does one “be here now?”
The Art of Acceptance & Surrender
Well, one practice that helps us be more present is the art of acceptance and surrender.
This involves accepting what is, rather than trying to fight it.
For example, if you are sitting in a traffic jam, and there is no way around it, don’t get worked up because you are late or that you have to be somewhere now.
Life has destined that you be here now, and your resistance and complaining prevent you from actually doing so.
As we touched on in Part 5, we need to flow with the rhythm of life instead of trying to resist it.
This acceptance is crucial if we want to truly slow down our minds to enter the present moment.
And closely related to this is the notion of surrender.
Surrendering to God, Source, Consciousness, the Universe — whatever name or label you wish to choose.
Because it’s one thing to accept the unchangeable events in your life, and another thing entirely to recognize there is a power or entity influencing it all.
In other words, nothing in life happens by coincidence.
There is a conductor behind the scenes that is conducting the symphony.
Now, this doesn’t mean we don’t have free will.
To use the example of the symphony, we each play our own instrument to our own abilities.
However, it’s not exactly a symphony until everyone is able to work together to produce a beautiful and harmonious song.
At the end of the day, we can only control how we play, not how the rest of the orchestra plays.
So, it’s up to God or the Universe to bring all these different sounds, instruments, and musicians together to create this masterpiece called life.
It’s not like everyone can play what they want or at the tempo they want.
Every musician surrenders — or you can say follows — the conductor to properly play the music they intend to perform.
In fact, the music doesn’t even start until the conductor whips his or her baton.
And similarly, life doesn’t start until God issues the command.
So, it’s very important for us to not only accept what is happening in our lives but to also appreciate and surrender to God for being the ultimate conductor of our life.
When we accept and surrender, we are automatically transported to the present moment.
In fact, there is not even room for us to think or be focused on the past or future, and that is where the peace and joy of the present moment comes to surface.
The reason we become sad and restless in life is because of the thoughts in our mind — the vast majority of which are nothing more than worries, depressions, and anxieties about either the past or the future.
We’re either sad about how something turned out in our past or worried and anxious about how something may turn out in the future.
So, just the simple act of being more present and thereby being less in our thoughts can actually reduce most, if not all, of our mental and emotional suffering.
The main reason why we suffer is because we feel like we are in full control of our life and its outcomes.
We believe that if we just worry about something constantly, we will eventually address it and prevent either a horrible outcome from transpiring or manifest a positive outcome into existence.
The truth, however, is that we are not doing anything on our own.
Everything is being done through us.
It is being done by God, who influences every person, action, and outcome in perfect harmony to achieve a specific result.
So, if you’re worried about an interview you have next week, don’t just assume that your preparation alone will get you the job — although it certainly won’t hurt.
Your success also depends on how you feel that day, what mood the interviewer is in, what questions they will ask, how you ultimately respond in that moment, and which other candidates they are also evaluating.
You are in control of none of these, and yet the ego wants you to stress and worry so that you forget about the present moment and instead dwell on the future.
But don’t let the ego control your life.
Surrender to God and trust the Divine Plan.
All it takes is one conscious decision to live in the moment.
Just one conscious decision to start noticing everything for how it is instead of how the ego wants it to be.
When you embody this practice, there is no more trying. There is no more planning. There is not even an element of transcending anymore.
The transcendence happens on its own when you stop living in the past and future and instead live in the now.
In fact, if you ask the ego what its greatest enemy is, it will tell you “the silence and stillness of the present moment.”
For in the silence and stillness of the present moment, the ego’s games and illusions are revealed.
Like the analogy of the light and darkness mentioned in Parts 4 and 5, the light just consumes the dark, as if it never existed before.
So, see if you can incorporate this practice more into your spiritual routine.
Don’t worry or get bogged down by if you could be doing more or if you could go even deeper.
The hard work is just showing up.
Leave the rest to God to help you unravel the ego’s many layers.
Recognize that you are not alone on this journey.
There is a divine voice guiding you each and every step of the way, as long as you are able to tune into it in this very moment.
The present moment.
Ways to Be Present In This Moment
Ultimately, the journey to freeing oneself from the ego is ongoing and requires constant awareness, energy, resilience and effort.
It requires us to actively be in the present moment, instead of lost all the time in our thoughts.
And this can show up in a lot of different ways.
For example, the next time you are walking in nature, don’t think about your to-do list or replay past events.
Be present in the here and now.
Notice the vibrant colors of the flowers, feel the gentle breeze against your skin, and listen to the birds sing.
Just this simple act of being fully present can bring immense joy and a sense of connection to the world around you.
Or how about the next time you eat.
Instead of rushing through your meal and barely tasting the food, try to eat mindfully and pay attention to each bite.
Notice every flavor, texture, and smell.
By doing so, you not only enjoy your food more, but are able to distinguish between when you’re actually hungry and when it’s just the ego tempting you with cravings.
One final example that is so applicable in our lives is just the art of active listening.
Too often are we so focused on what we want to say next that we don’t really comprehend what the other person is saying.
But see if you can give your full attention to what the other person is saying.
Pretend that your only job in that moment is to listen deeply and provide a welcoming space of love and trust.
I promise, you’ll not only have deeper and stronger relationships with everyone, but you’ll also be more at peace knowing that you are fully in the present moment instead of always in your thoughts.
Remember that living in the present moment is a journey.
Be patient with yourself as you cultivate this practice.
Every step you take toward present moment awareness is a step closer to transcending the ego and embracing the freedom of consciousness.
It’s ok if you sometimes stumble or fall.
In fact, if you didn’t, you wouldn’t even be on a spiritual journey to begin with.
The most challenging part of our spiritual journey is not in transcending the ego, but rather in getting back up when we fall.
We will experience moments of doubt, depression, and despair, but the key is to never quit the journey.
This is where compassion and empathy become so important.
Unveiling the Real You
So, to finish off our series, Part 7 of Awakening Beyond Ego will be about exploring the importance of compassion and empathy on our spiritual journey.
It is through these qualities that we can truly understand ourselves and others, and in doing so, find deeper fulfillment and meaning in life.
After finishing the series, you will not only have a greater understanding of the ego and its various illusions and manifestations, but you’ll also know the keys to transcending the ego and actually experiencing true spiritual liberation.
But for now, let’s focus on the only moment that matters: the here and now.
When you live in the now, you not only transcend the ego. You unveil the real you: Consciousness.
