Are you having trouble living in the now?

Does your mind keep going back to the past or constantly jumping into a worried future? We all experience this. After all, we’re human and it does take some effort to live here, right now, in the present. I have found active meditation to be really helpful in staying grounded in the now.

For some of us, meditation conjures up images of a guru chanting from the top of a mountain in his robes, or a monk sitting in quiet solitude in a sacred temple surrounded by strands of incense smoke hanging in the air. Others believe that meditation is as simple as closing ones eyes and going into a trance, or at the most basic level, that you only need to let your mind go totally blank to enter a meditative state.

It’s not quite as easy as that, but what’s more achievable and realistic, is that you can train yourself to become more aware of your thoughts as they come in and go right out again through your mind, a bit like the ebb and flow of water. Eventually, these same thoughts will lose their power to influence your conscious mind.

It’s fascinating to watch people work their way through a labyrinth (a circular maze), which is often found outdoors. While some are obviously looking to find their way out, there will often be a good number of people involved in what is known as "a walking meditation." A walking meditation is a form of meditation in action, where we use the experience of walking, as a catalyst to combine movement with inner calmness.

I find "active meditations" quite enjoyable and helpful. The most important point of all active meditations is to be fully aware of the routine activity that you’re carrying out, whether it’s walking, running or those mundane chores, such as washing dishes. In other words, if you’re walking – just walk. If you’re running – just run. If you’re washing dishes – just wash the dishes. Every time your mind starts to wander, focus on what you’re doing and bring it back to the task at hand. Anytime that you actively focus your mind on a single point or activity, with a sense of light concentration, you should be able to enter a meditative state and you’ll find it easier to be present or in the now.