Time is simply a construct of the mind. It’s only when we use the faculty of memory does time arise. What would it feel like to keep your consciousness in the present moment? Time would just drop away. We would experience the ever-changing “now” moment over and over again.
I’m not saying that you would become a vegetable or that your mind would go blank. Quite the contrary. Each experience would feel completely new and alive. It’s only our memory that causes us to feel that we’ve done all of this before. And this experience translates into the sense of time.
Like all of reality, time is quite personal. The way you experience time will be very different than how the next person senses it. A day could feel like a week to you and vice versa to the next person. Why is that?
Again it’s directly related to the “now” moment. The more time your consciousness resides in the present moment, the less time you will experience. Literally. And that’s because the now moment is not a function of time. Conversely, the more your mind uses its memory, the more time you will experience.
I really enjoy experiencing the present moment. It’s a very light feeling. Stress and worry fall away. What could be better than that?! Of course, I must come back to the reality of my daily life. And in that reality I need to use my memories of the past. That’s where knowledge resides. That’s where I do my work and where I interact with friends and family. That’s where my life is.
Going into the present moment is a good way to recharge my batteries. And it’s a good way to get ready for the day to come. There are many methods one can use. Yoga, tai chi, meditation. They are all equally effective. The important thing to remember is that you will get better with practice. So if you make a habit of doing it each morning, you’ll reap the benefits almost immediately.
Stress reduction, a higher confidence level, better self-esteem…these are all the by-products of the experience of the absence of time. Absence of timethis is just another way to describe the present moment. The funny thing is that, at first, it sounds so esoteric, yet it’s the most common experience we could have. We can’t avoid. It’s all we’ve got.
As humans we have no way to get out of time for very long. Our reality is all about doing things in time. That’s what our lives consist of. But we can take a break from time. And the secret is to use time to your advantage by completely immersing yourself in the present moment.
