All of us have experienced, from time to time, what it is like to be fully in the now. For some of us, it would have happened:
1. in the midst of passionate sex;
2. while riding on a wild, crazy roller coaster ride;
3. playing a sport, eg a competitive soccer match, when you're doing your best and fully engaged
4. deep absorption in an activity you enjoy a lot (it could be, say, playing the piano; painting a picture; singing a song onstage live on 'American Idol')
5. performing some activity that demanded your full attention - eg giving a public speech; performing heart surgery; taking a penalty kick in a soccer game;
Somewhere in his book, Tolle gives the example of a cat waiting near a mousehole, with rapt attention, waiting for a mouse to emerge, waiting to pounce on it.
What Tolle is talking about is taking that kind of mental state and making it our default mental state. To be like that, fully present in the moment, whatever you are doing and wherever you are. |