Mindsets.

[thesubtleknife]

I thought I would pose a question here which has given me a good bit of difficulty.

Context: Lately I've been trying to focus completely in the present. That is, no contemplation of the past, no analysis of the future. Everything seems great about this philosophy up to the point where I have to plan things, which breaks me out of the present

Comments

[susoeffl]

I have been told that in the book "the power of now" the author suggests that one can be fully present in the activity of planning.

My friend told me this, i have not read the book. But she highly reccomends it. It might be a good source

[thesubtleknife]

Cool, I'll have to check that out! I've read a couple other books which concern themselves with similar stuff, but they never really explain how you stay in the present while dreaming up new and crazy schemes. They all seem to fall either into the "don't plan" category or the "plan a lot and look into the future a lot" category.

Sanku! :D What about you, what's your strategy?

[susoeffl]

whenever I get stressed or worried, I say my mantra. Some things you HAVE to plan for, or they won't happen. like I need to get a visa, but I don't have to focus my energies on that visa very much to get it. I only need to focus enough energy to go through the application. I don't know... now's not te best time to ask me. THe clouds are causing me to be less than cheery.

[susoeffl]

ok that's not the whole answer. I plan what I need to, (or try to only plan ahead as much as I need to) and then leave the rest to god. I don't mention that part often as I hang around with lots of athiests. I don't want them to feel I'm pressuring them to believe in something. Also I still fear the judgements of them. It shouldn't but I'm human and subject to fear of social stigma.

But I find when I rest my burdens with god solutions present themselves and everything works out. My mantra helps remind me of this I think. This may not be helpful to you since I don't know your beliefs.

[thesubtleknife]

Well, I'm not an atheist. But I'm not religious either :) I bought a book recently by Eknath Easwaran that recommends using a mantra[m], and it seems to work pretty well so far. The functionality of it is almost like white noise for your mind's anxious thoughts. What mantra do you use, out of curiosity, and when do you use it? (If you feel like sharing it!)

[susoeffl]

That's a fantastic book! He is a great writer! My mom quotes him all the time! I use one that I picked out of easwaran's book Meditation and use it all the time.

[thesubtleknife]

Haha! Awesome. I just discovered him. It's a small world in the field of meditation, or something :)