The one thing that has changed my life when it comes to how to be present minded is the simple—and yet, life-altering—fact that I am not my mind.
I am not Jenn.
I’m not a health blogger.
I’m not even a bunny loving, tea-drinking, glitter girl.
I am something infinitely more than my mind, my thoughts, or emotions. I am a Being.
I just am.
I recently read Eckhart Tolle’s Book A New Earth after going through a rough patch in an area of my life. It was so amazing, and it helped me heal more in two weeks than all these years without my illness.
Here are five reasons I’m really loving Eckhart Tolle and how his musings have transformed my life.
1. Tolle Advocates for Not Identifying with Your Mind
Tolle acknowledges the power of being present and not identifying with our pasts, our minds, or our emotions.
Doing so only gives strength to the ego in us, which creates a multitude of problems and suffering. When you identify with something, you must defend it, nurture it, become victim to it.
The bridge in the picture represents the pathway between you and your mind.
While many people are unable to separate themselves from their mind and feel that they have no choice but to identify with their emotions, their struggles, that fabulous baby pink shade of nail polish, or a career, they don’t see a bridge.
They see only one thing without a way out, which is their mind. People tend to think a lot and totally identify with their thoughts.
The bridge is between you and your mind.
You can be on one side and travel to the other side occasionally, that is to think or be creative or whatever you choose.
But we don’t need to be thinking all the time. In fact, it’s pretty hurtful to us and prevents you from realizing how to be present minded. When you’re here, right now, in this moment, you realize nothing truly matters and just enjoy being.
2. He Cultivates Presence
When considering how to be present minded, we can cultivate presence to experience more joy, less sorrow, and be more effective at what we do.
Cultivating presence is the act of just being in the moment. Cultivate awareness of your body, your environment, your emotions. Allow things to come and go, but do not judge them or label them.
Just be right here where you are.
When you can feel your own presence without the constant chattering of the mind, you become more whole in this moment and less immersed in all your perceived mind problems.
3. He Establishes a Way out of PAin
It’s not easy to let go of all the things you feel establish you and help you to be grounded.
But when you’re thinking how to be present minded, consider that what grounds you is not what actually grounds you, rather just something that makes you feel more secure in your ego.
The way out of pain and suffering is to stop identifying with your mind. Yes, your mind is there, but do not let it consume you. Do not let your emotions be who you are. Nothing can define what you are. You are right here.
4. Tolle Points out the Power of No Resistance
Many of our feelings are responses from the ego.
The ego is always seeking, always wanting, always trying to be superior. Nothing is ever good enough for the ego, not even yourself.
The ego thrives on reaction. It wants you to react and defend your position, which in effect strengthens it. What the ego cannot and will not realize is that there is great power in no resistance.
It’s a challenge to realize that you have a choice and not react. Try it. Next time someone gets upset with you, do not react. Remain present.
How to be present minded begins here.
5. He Acknowledges that Being Is the Ultimate Experience
Just be.
Don’t try to find yourself, seek happiness, or ground yourself in things. It’s amazingly liberating to realize that your past does not define you, that your life situation does not define you, that your objects do not define you.
We’re people who have the ability to stay present, not take criticism personally, and are always looking to learn and grow.
How could you ever be defined?