Lie down or sit gently keeping your body open and relaxed. Close your eyes and gently listen keeping your attention completely on what you are hearing.
A friend of mine has a favourite saying about time.
"If you live in the past, you stay there. If you live in the future, it never arrives. The only time to live is in the present, it is to live now."
That probably sounds like a bit of a riddle. But then if you stop and think about it, time is something of a puzzle anyway. When you're bored, it drags its feet so that minutes seem to stretch into hours. And yet when you're having fun, it flies by so fast that hours shrink into minutes. Why does it do that?
Well, time doesn't really shrink or stretch at all. It's all in our minds. Whenever we're really interested in what we're doing or are simply having a fun time, we're so involved in what we are doing that we don't notice the time passing. We probably don't even notice ourselves thinking either. That's because all our energy is going into what we are doing. So much so that there is no energy left over to feed unnecessary thoughts. On the other hand, when we're not really involved in what we're doing there is nowhere for our energy to go but into our thoughts. Instead of us using our minds to channel our energy and thoughts into what we are doing, our minds - or rather, our thoughts - use us. And because our thoughts travel faster than the speed of light we can think an awful lot of thoughts in a very short space of time. So many thoughts, in fact, that we end up under the illusion that more time has passed than really has. The illusion is even stronger because these thoughts tend to be all over the place. They're off in the past, or in the future.
They're in front of the TV or at our friend's houses. In fact, they're absolutely everywhere except where we are now. That's why a lot of people learn to meditate. Some people describe meditation as a way of learning to master their thoughts rather than have their thoughts master them. But really meditation is simply learning to be fully present, in the here and now, in such a way that unnecessary thoughts don't even arise. More than that, when you're learned to be totally here, right now, you will not only be living in the present. You will also have mastered the secret of time.
Try if for yourself. But be patient. It can take a while to learn to live totally in the present. Yet once you've learned how to do it, the knack will stay with you for the rest of your life. Furthermore, you'll have all the time in the world. Because when you learn to live in the present you discover that now is eternal.
And I thought in my heart,
"God will bring to judgement
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time for every deed."
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not toil or spin. Yet I tell you that not even King Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?"
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
So, God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Desiderata (Latin for "Things to be Desired.")
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
The Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity to
Accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time
Enjoying one moment at a time
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is
and not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen
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