Be Present

This morning as I was reading the blogs I follow, I was thinking about meditation and the concept of reality.  Tiny Buddha's blog also was discussing this in a book review, so I thought I'd write about what I've discovered recently.  I've been learning that our belief system structures our reality.  There isn't just one reality, and what we believe about life, ourselves, others, definitely determines our specific reality.  I've been working hard over the last couple years to change my core beliefs and I'm discovering that those changes are changing my reality in very tangible ways.  I've also been exploring my spiritual nature, and I've finally realized that the idea of mindfulness or being present is extremely powerful.  My past, both good and bad, is over and cannot be changed.  Dwelling on it, which usually means dwelling on my mistakes, is self-defeating and crippling.  Similarly, dwelling on future possibilities is equally damaging, especially in our fear driven culture which simply feeds our own fears.  There are no guarantees for the future for anyone, even the future an hour or a minute from now.  So what do I really have?  I have this very present moment and I'm learning that the more I can live in this present moment, being fully conscious of where I am now, typing on my computer, writing in this blog, the more alive I am.  It doesn't matter what I am doing, whether it is tutoring students, quilting, washing dishes, picking up dog poop or scooping cat liter, reading, whatever it is, I need to be fully present in the moment.  Today is the one year anniversary of my beginning yoga and I've done some yoga each and every day in the past year and that has been and continues to be a valuable practice in being present, fully focused on the pose I am doing.  I'm finding that meditation, even as new to it as I am, also helps me to stay in the present.  I know I have a lot to learn, but that is the fun of life, isn't it?  Today promises to be a full day with some important decisions to be made, especially about the direction of my quilting and the path I want to follow, the path that is right for me, and I know if I can just keep my heart open to new possibilities and stay present in the moment, that I'll find that path in love and not fear.