“Happiness is solely a matter of where you put your attention.” ~Anonymous.*
*I’m not sure who to attribute this quote to, if anyone knows please let me know.
Each glorious day arrives and ends. The One who witnesses, our capital ‘S’ Self, watches it all pass without commentary, or judgement. The small one, mind, ego, thought, chatters, makes trouble, takes issue with the way things are never quite right…
…If only I didn’t have a headache had gotten more sleep didn’t forget my computer for the meeting wasn’t doing a performance today wasn’t worried about politics was spending the day with my kid if only, instead, I wish…
And yet… And yet…
When we become fully present to the moment there is no problem. There is not even opportunity, there just is. The fullness of what is. My teacher Jennifer McKeown calls it “the is-ness of what is.” Coming into presence we find that the small-self, with its needs, wants, demands, and resistances, collapses into infinity. Then we do it again, and again, and again, all day long coming back to presence the second we notice attention has left.
Walking down the stairs, thoughts come about the day, what will I do later if I don’t finish the…” Caught! Stop. Return, hand is on the grooved wooden banister, feet sink into the carpet, sun shines through the window, the body breathes. Presence. Over and over, all day long I practice.