5 Powerful Ways to Cultivate Mindfulness and Embrace the Present Moment

Monday Morning Musings: A Reflection on Bil Keane’s Timeless Wisdom

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, which is why we call it the present.”
Bil Keane

Have you ever experienced the feeling that despite being surrounded by people, they somehow seem distant and disconnected? How often do you catch yourself drifting away during meetings or social gatherings, distracted by your phone or wandering thoughts? Monday mornings, especially when accompanied by gloomy weather like the rain outside my window, can be particularly challenging.

But even on the sunniest of Mondays, we can all relate to that initial struggle to get into the groove. One thing that consistently helps me combat this morning malaise is my meditation routine. As I followed my usual morning ritual today, I reached for my trusted Insight Timer app — for the 1,129th time, to be exact. I would not be as successful in my mindfulness journey without it. Today marked a personal milestone: my 903rd consecutive day of meditation. And within that app lies a little ritual that has become an essential part of my mornings — the daily quote.

Today’s quote was a classic from Bil Keane, the renowned American cartoonist behind “The Family Circus.” For over five decades, Keane graced the pages of newspapers with his endearing comic strip, capturing the essence of family life. Even after his passing in 2011, the torch was admirably carried by his son, Jeff Keane, who continued the heartwarming legacy. The timeless humor and profound insights into the triumphs and tribulations of family dynamics never cease to bring a smile to my face and remind us all of the power of love, laughter, and forgiveness.

Bil Keane’s cartoon shows Dolly talking to one of her little brothers as they sit together on the grass. Her words, though simple, resound with a profound message: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, which is why we call it the present.” This statement beautifully encapsulates the essence of appreciating the present moment. It reminds us to cherish the here and now, and not get too caught up in dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.

A Simple Yet Powerful Message

The simplicity of this message is what truly strikes a chord with me. It paints a clear picture in my mind, emphasizing the importance of embracing the gift of today. In our fast-paced world, it is all too easy to get caught up in the constant distractions and to lose sight of the present moment. How many times have you been with friends and family in the same room, yet their attention on the miniature screens as opposed to engaging with one another.

Keane’s words serve as a gentle reminder to remove ourselves from the endless cycle of regrets and anxieties, and instead focus on the beauty and opportunities that exist in front of us.

Carpe Diem: Embracing Each Moment

In Japanese culture, there exists a beautiful proverb known as Ichigo ichie, which translates to “one time, one meeting.” This profound concept reminds us to seize the opportunity presented by each passing moment. Every encounter, no matter how ordinary or seemingly unremarkable, is to be embraced and cherished.

This proverb encapsulates the essence of being fully present and appreciating the uniqueness of every experience. It serves as a profound reminder that these fleeting moments will never be replicated, urging us to savor them to the fullest. So, let us embrace the philosophy of Ichigo ichie and live each moment with a sense of wonder and gratitude.

This perspective encourages us to embrace gratitude and mindfulness, reminding us to fully engage in our day-to-day experiences. It teaches us to appreciate the present as a precious gift, allowing us to savor the little joys, find peace in chaos, and cultivate a deep sense of contentment. Often, we find ourselves weighed down by the past and consumed by worries about the future in our fast-paced world.

However, as Keane wisely suggests, it is essential to shift our focus to the present moment, recognizing its simplicity and clarity. This shift enables us to let go of the burdens of the past, live free from the anxieties of the future, and truly cherish the irreplaceable gift of the present.

Life is bound to throw us curveballs, forcing us to encounter unexpected twists and turns. Whether it’s the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, or the unforeseen termination of a job, these events are inevitable. How we navigate through these challenges will greatly influence our future.

Although the future remains cloaked in uncertainty, we can find solace in the present moment. It is within this moment that we can relish in the joys, share laughter, and foster meaningful connections with the ones who hold significance in our lives. Therefore, it becomes crucial to remain present and not constantly be fixated on screens, allowing us to truly embrace all that life has to offer.

Keane’s wisdom finds particular resonance in today’s world, where the relentless onslaught of information and digital distractions threatens to sweep us away. In acknowledging this challenge, maintaining mindfulness can be difficult amidst the constant bombardment of notifications, emails, and social media updates. However, it is precisely in these moments that mindfulness becomes most crucial.

Stay Present

5 Techniques to Foster Mindfulness and Embrace the Now- Think BEERR

Get ready to explore 5 incredible tools that have truly transformed my mindfulness journey. But before we dive into the details, let’s raise a glass to the cleverly humorous BEERR acronym, which pairs well with these practices (pun intended!). So, grab a seat, sip some mindfulness, and let’s explore how each method can help you cultivate peace and awareness in your daily life.

1. Breathe mindfully as you embark on a journey of inner calm and presence.

Take a few deep breaths, allowing the air to fill your lungs and then gently release. As you do so, feel the sensation of the breath entering and leaving your body, a steady rhythm that grounds you in the present moment.

Let go of any distractions, allowing your awareness to fully rest on the soothing flow of your breath. With each inhale, invite relaxation and clarity into your being; with each exhale, let go of any tension or worries. This simple act of mindful breathing holds the key to cultivating a peaceful state of mind and cultivating a deeper connection with your inner self.

The Image displays a woman sitting breathing, the bubble above her head describes the breathing technique.

2. Engage Your Senses

Tune into your surroundings and allow yourself to fully immerse in them. Pay attention to the sights that unfold before your eyes, taking in the vibrant colors, intricate details, and beautiful landscapes.

Listen carefully to the sounds that reach your ears, whether it’s the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind, the melodic chirping of birds, or the rhythmic crashing of waves against the shore. Notice the scents that waft through the air, from the fragrant blooms of flowers to the earthy aroma after rainfall.

Take pleasure in the diverse flavors that dance on your taste buds, savoring each bite and sip. And don’t forget to relish the tactile sensations that come with touch – the softness of a petal, the coolness of water, or the warmth of a loved one’s embrace. By engaging your senses, you not only awaken a deeper awareness of the present moment but also cultivate a greater appreciation for the wonders that surround us every day.

The image is of a poster describing the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique to ease the mind during stressful moments.

3. Embrace Non-Judgment: Observing Thoughts and Feelings with an Open Mind

Observing your thoughts and feeling without judgement is a powerful practice that allows you to become more aware of your internal experience. By taking a step back and simply observing without judgment, you create space for self-reflection and insight. This practice encourages mindfulness and helps you develop a deeper understanding of your own mind and emotions.

Instead of getting caught up in the content of your thoughts and becoming overwhelmed by your emotions, you can cultivate a sense of detachment and perspective. This allows you to respond to situations with greater clarity and wisdom, rather than reacting impulsively. So, take some time each day to sit quietly and observe your thoughts and feelings. Allow them to come and go, without clinging to them or pushing them away. Embrace this practice as a way to cultivate inner peace and self-awareness.

4. Release the Past and Future:

In order to experience true peace and contentment, it is crucial to let go of the burdens of the past and the anxieties about the future. By dwelling on past mistakes, regrets, or resentments, we are unable to fully enjoy the present moment. Similarly, when we constantly worry about what might happen in the future, we are unable to fully appreciate the beauty and opportunities that exist in the here and now. Instead, we should strive to shift our focus to the present moment, embracing it with mindfulness and gratitude. By practicing meditation and focusing on the present, we can release ourselves from the shackles of the past and future, allowing ourselves to experience true freedom and inner peace. If you’d like to explore this further, you can find a helpful meditation course on releasing anxiety from the past, present, and future here.

5. Return to the Present: Mindfulness is a powerful practice that can help us to stay grounded and focused in the present moment. However, it’s not always easy to keep our minds from wandering. Our thoughts can easily drift to the past or future, causing stress and anxiety. The key is to gently guide our attention back to the present whenever we notice our mind wandering. With patience and persistence, mindfulness can become a natural part of our daily lives, helping us to find peace and joy in each moment. If you’re looking for guidance, you may find this helpful: Return to the Present Moment – 5 Minute Daily Insight.

Final Thoughts

In a world that ceaselessly propels us forward, Bil Keane’s words beckon us to pause, breathe, and embrace the present as the precious gift it truly is. Amidst the chaos and clamor of modern existence, we can find tranquility and meaning by simply being present in the here and now.

These techniques have proven to be invaluable on my mindfulness journey. By implementing the “BEERR” approach, I have learned to breathe mindfully, engage my senses, embrace non-judgment of thoughts and feelings, release the past, and always return to the present moment. These powerful practices have not only enhanced my mindfulness practice but have also provided a solid foundation for cultivating peace and awareness in everyday life.

In our fast-paced lives, it is easy to be caught up in a never-ending cycle of planning for the future or dwelling on the past. We are constantly bombarded with reminders to achieve more, buy more, be more. Yet, in this relentless pursuit, we often overlook the beauty and joy that surrounds us in the present moment. Bil Keane’s insightful words remind us to break free from this cycle of constant striving and to appreciate the beauty of the now.

By embracing the present, we can tap into a sense of gratitude and contentment. It allows us to fully experience the simple pleasures that life has to offer – the warmth of the sun on our skin, the sound of laughter, the taste of a delicious meal.

When we let go of our worries and immerse ourselves in the present moment, we become more aware of the small miracles that often go unnoticed. Keane’s quote serves as a gentle nudge to slow down, appreciate the present, and embark on this day with a renewed commitment to savor the gift of the present moment.

Let’s stay present and allow its boundless beauty to guide us on a path of true fulfillment! With each precious moment, let’s tap into a deep sense of gratitude for the gift of now. Together, let’s seize the day and savor life’s wonders as they effortlessly unfold before us. This beautiful journey of presence awaits, and I have no doubt that with the BEERR technique – Breathe, Engage Senses, Embrace Non-judgment, Release the Past, and Return to the Present – we will thrive in our quest for a bright and fulfilling future. Stay inspired and let the magic of the present moment be your guiding light!

OM Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

Disclaimer: The insights and suggestions presented in this article are based solely on my personal experiences and the tools I’ve found effective in my own life. I am not a certified or licensed professional in any field, and the information provided should not be considered a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Individual experiences with mindfulness and personal growth practices may vary, and what works for one person may not work for another. It’s essential to consult with qualified professionals or experts in the relevant fields for personalized guidance or if you have specific concerns.

Please use your discretion and consider your unique circumstances when implementing any of the ideas or suggestions mentioned in this article. Always prioritize your well-being and consult appropriate professionals when necessary.

Creating New Habits

I have been trying to live a more mindful life in the last year. It’s not something that I woke up one day and said to myself, “Self, you should be more mindful.” No, it was a way subtler shift than that.

My mother died in February 2021. I had to double-check that since I am terrible with times and dates. The last two and half years are feeling like more like five. I have trouble sometimes remembering how old I am sometimes. But I blame my best friend partially for that since her birthday precedes mine by six months. For half a year, referring to us as whatever age she was, even if my birthday was still 4 or 5 months away.

Then there is how I think about birthdays in general: when you have a birthday, you have just completed that year. You just successfully finished living the 1st, 10th, 25th, 36th year…of your life and are about to embark on living the 2nd, 11th, 26th, 37th…When I explained this to Mark one day, he didn’t like my reasoning as sound and correct as it was. I just made him a year older. No, I didn’t – he and many others have been thinking about this all wrong.

New parents understand this initially as they watch their children go from hours to days to months old. “How old is your baby?” Three months becomes six months. But they don’t stop there. “How old is your baby? “Nineteen months old.” The answer is seldom “One and a half years old.”

But all that has little to do with what I originally started talking about, which was trying to become more mindful. I was 56 when my mother died, and I felt very untethered. It was too much – my mind racing around with all sorts of things, too many things. Life had been so unsettling that I felt as if I was clinging to a boat on high seas, and the storm would not pass.

Mark is my anchor and my navigator. As an offshore sailor who has crewed on teams sailing from Newport to Bermuda, he understands life at sea and lived through calm waters that churned up in moments forcing him to hold on for dear life and try to navigate through the storms. His mind, too, races, and he also was looking for a way to be able to settle it.

Together we decided to try to create a new habit of meditating daily. Now we made a mindful decision right there but didn’t recognize it as our first step towards living a more conscious life. The app we use is Insight Timer. I’ve written about this app before, and I guess I just can’t say more about it since it has helped us so much. As well as the guided meditations, there are many talks and lecture series which you can also listen to.

Mark wanted to learn more about Taoism and Buddhism, so we listened to lectures like the Taoist Principles for a Prosperous Life and Practicing the Tao Te Ching by Solar Towler; Exploring the Basics of Buddhism and Exploring the Fundamentals of Zen Buddhism by Silas Day. We listened to The Power of Tao: Live a Life of Harmony & Balance by Olivia Rosewood, as well as Learning From The Masters by David Gendelman. Every morning before we sat for our meditation, Mark and I would sit at the kitchen table drinking our coffee, eating breakfast, and listening to a session of one of the lecture series. For the most part, each session is no more than 10-25 minutes long but lasts 10 to 30 days. For 200 days, we listened and learned so much from these courses.

In my March 2022 post A Year of Mindfulness and Meditation, I talk more about Insight Timer and one of our favorite teachers, David Ji and the courses we took of his that we found to be so incredibly helpful. It was in his Forty Days to Transformation course which delivered a transformation in us – solidifying our new habit of mediation. I won’t repeat myself more than I have here in this post; just suffice it to say that I will forever be grateful that we took that course.

With mindfulness, I have discovered that I am consciously becoming a more grateful person. In the past, I took many things for granted. Perhaps age has something to do with that. We tend to be young and naive – we don’t know any better since we are newbies to experiencing life. Some people learn that lesson earlier than others, and some never learn the lesson. When choosing to live a mindful life, you don’t take things for granted. You live in the present moment, understanding that the past is done and the future isn’t something to waste your time worrying over in the present. You do that, and you miss what’s happening here and now.

Our cell phones and laptops have distracted us from being present. I have become increasingly aware of this and purposefully try to limit my time on these devices. Today’s children spend way too much time playing on their phones and devices – and our parents worried the TV would make us a bunch of couch potatoes! Which it did. No mindfulness is going on when you are staring into these electronic opiates. Which is precisely what they are and were designed to do.

I am glad I have adult-aged children who benefited from running around in the woods and spending time in the woods camping or on a mountain skiing. It’s not to say that my son didn’t have his video gaming phase. Call of Duty was his game of choice that he and the Cavemen played. The Cavemen are his friends and were so called when they dubbed my basement The Cave and spent as many nonschool nights overnight in the Cave as they did in their own houses. If I were raising a child in this day and age, it would be very different and challenging. Knowing what I know, I wouldn’t be handing out video games, laptops and cell phones. I would probably also be homeschooling as well. But that’s for another blog post. I’d like to think that at this point, we would have a much more mindful approach than we did in the past.

In being more mindful, I have been able to set more goals for myself and achieve them. For the last few years, I have been active in the Goodreads Reading Challenge, which has you set a reading goal for yourself. I always wanted to be a reader. I was a very slow reader in school and didn’t enjoy reading then. They always told me I needed to practice, practice, practice. I just wish there had been audiobooks around then. If it weren’t for the audiobooks, I wouldn’t be able to achieve my lofty reading goal, which I set for the age I will be at the end of the year – 58 this year. So far, I am thirty-seven books in, three of which were physical hardback books!

The other goal that I set for myself was to write and publish a book. I am happy to say that in the last two years I have been working very purposefully on achieving this goal and seeing it through fruition. I would not have been able to do this without all that I have learned about mindfulness in this last year and half. In many of the guided mediations I have listen to in the last 446 days, many of the instructors have you plant a seed of intention. At first when I listened and was instructed to do this, I had so many things I wanted to accomplish I didn’t know what to focus on. I have many seeds in my bag to plant. I settled on one of the seeds that I had been holding onto the longest. And that was to write and publish my book.

Currently my book is in the hands of a publisher and it will be published. Thanks to the seed of intention that I planted, focused on and fertilized. I don’t know where this mindfulness and meditation will ultimately lead me. I am just focusing on the present moment, and presently I must start the laundry and get back to selecting photos that are going into the book. Namaste.

A Year of Mindfulness and Meditation

A little over a year ago my mother died and about a year ago I started a new habit of daily meditation. After my mother’s death, I felt untethered and my mind was overwhelmed with emotions, feeling, questions and thoughts. I needed to regain some control. There are so many things in life that we can’t control. When I get upset, I clean. It’s the one thing I can control when things seem to be spiraling out of control.

I write in a journal on a daily basis and have for well over a decade and have diaries that date back to 1980! Writing is a form of meditation for me – a download of thoughts and emotions. I found this to be incredibly helpful for me to proceed with my days having dumped out whatever was on my mind earlier that morning on paper. Unlike right now where I am typing this article directly into my computer; my diary is handwritten. I love the feeling of pen to paper. I find that therapeutic in of itself. However, I needed some tools in my tool belt to be able to help calm me down sometimes for when sitting down with pen and paper is not an option.

Many years ago when my life was spiraling out of control, I started having panic attacks. So I turned to meditation. I started a little each morning here and there. That was about 7 years ago now. I had been meditating on and off for many years but never every day as I have in the last 346 consecutive days (and counting). I have meditated 577 days using my Insight Timer app over the course of all those years.

I like the Insight Timer app since you can learn to meditate through the app which offers a wide range of guided meditations of varying lengths and focuses. I have listened to a number of talks and lectures about Buddhism, Taoism and more. I have used their app at bedtime at times when I need a guided meditation to help me drop off to sleep. They even have bedtime tales you can choose from – one night I fell asleep to The Velveteen Rabbit read to me. By the way, I don’t get anything from them to talk about them. I just really have enjoyed using their app.

I enjoy the way Insight Timer is set up allowing for searching by topics such as Affirmations, Chakras, Mantra, Mindfulness, Pranayama, Vipassana, Walking Mediations and Zen. Both Zazen and Kōan. If you want to use their timer feature to create your own customized meditation timer with the ability to use starting, interim and ending bells, chimes, gongs, or nothing at all. You can set background music or sounds or mediate in silence. You set the time and can save your presets. They make everything quite easy for you.

You can also save your favorites and can follow teachers that you like. They encourage you to donate to the teachers and make that easy for you to do charging it to your Apple Pay account. The teachers are from all over the world.

After so long by far one of our favorite teachers has become DavidJi from Los Angeles, CA. He offers a number of courses and we have taken three of the four of them that he offers on the Insight Timer. Mark and I dove into The 40 Days of Transformation where he guided us through meditations, intention setting, yoga philosophy, pranayama and so much more.

We were hooked after completing the forty days and followed it up with his course 30 Day Journey to Rebirth. We have also done his Awaken The Sacred Power of Shakti this year and plan on taking The Healing Sessions: Freeing Your Soul Through The Second Meditation of the Day.

Early on, we took the Masterclass –Mindfulness and Meditation with Jon Kabat-Zinn. This was an extremely helpful class to take which broke down a lot of questions that we had about mediation and ways to do it, what it was all about, etc… Soon after finishing that class I bought Mark and I both proper mediation cushions and pillows to ensure that, as David Ji says “Comfort is Queen and feather your nest” so that you can be still during your mediation practice. It’s amazing the difference the right set up can make which will allow me to sit still and “drop in” to meditation for 30 minutes or more. Sometimes without moving at all. Other times, I may have to stretch a leg to regain circulation.

I have found that this new habit is addictive and I will do what I need to protect my precious time to sit on the cushion, although sometimes I will be laying down, using on my acupressure mat or on some ice packs for the time. It has opened a door up to so many other doors. Mark and I find ourselves exploring Buddhism, Taoism, Collective Consciousness just to begin with.

I have learned a few things about myself and what I am capable of. I have found that I have a calmness within that I am able to tap into when things around me start to get crazy. Mark and I have started to introduce Tai Chi into our lives. Although it is not a daily practice yet but that is our goal to incorporate it into our daily practice. I look forward to this continued journey of discovery.

Namaste.