{12} Be Here Now

Sep 14

*1) For a while in the summer, while I commuted to a class I was taking, I listened to the Here and Now podcast and began getting very interested in, and inspired by, Ram Dass. His lectures always left me feeling wholesome and reassured, and just recently I finally bought his book Be Here Now. And so in honor of beginning to read it, this next series is inspired by the book.

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*2) ‘Be here now’ can be a great mantra for centering oneself in the present, and out of the past or future where much of our stress, anxiety, and suffering comes from. It’s also great for cultivating a more attentive and mindful being.

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*3) Read in the middle portion of the book today in a secluded spot by the bank of a pond. I much prefer to read outdoors so I’m trying to do all of my reading outside for the time being, until I’m forced back inside during winter.

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*4) Maintaining one’s presence in the present, just as it is while meditating or during a psychedelic experience, is at the heart of the ‘be here now’ philosophy. The tricky part, of course, is integrating this mindfulness into every aspect and activity of our daily lives. Like Ram Dass says, enlightenment (or its pursuit) doesn’t require moving to a cave in the mountains and living a solitary life. The importance is in living your life and whatever it may entail with present awareness, no matter its redundancy.