The importance of staying in the present moment

Earlier this week, I was resting on a massage table in a dimly lit room, excited about my upcoming massage.

Candles were flickering in the background (they were fake ones for safety, but still nice). Soft piano music was playing from the ceiling speakers. And a weighted blanket was draped over my body to comfort me and keep me warm.

I was ready for an hour of complete relaxation.

Then my mind started to race.

"This is nice" ... "why don't I get massages more often?" ... "isn't the spa offering a 10-pack special right now?" ... "I wonder when that special deal ends" ... "seems a bit indulgent, doesn't it?" ... "I am worth it" ... "shoot, I forgot to call dad this morning" ... "have I replied to John's voicemail yet?" ... "I need to email my accountant so she can finish my taxes" ...

Stop!

Why was I thinking about the future when I was about to receive an enjoyable massage?

I took a deep breath. And another one. I kept focusing on my breath. I imagined my breath moving up my spine on each inhale and traveling down my spine on each exhale.

My mind started to settle.

I started to pay attention to the touch of my massage therapist's hands, to notice the way his hand strokes made my body feel. I fully experienced my tired, achy muscles slowly releasing as they were being worked on.

I found myself relaxing deeper and deeper.

After an hour of a truly restful massage, my body and mind were reenergized.

Lesson learned? Remember to stay in the moment to enjoy life's pleasures. Be really present.

If you have ever taken a yoga class with me, you've heard me say "pay attention to how your body feels", "take a breath in through your nose and a long exhale through your mouth", or "remember to breathe." These are all cues to remind my students to focus their attention inwards.

Most of us live such fast-paced lifestyles that we rarely ever give our high-functioning minds any downtime. We increasingly live in our heads, often disconnected from our bodies.

Yoga is about learning to quiet our busy minds. The word "yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit root "yuj", meaning "to yoke" or "to unite". The intent is to create the perfect harmony between mind and body.

Some people falsely think that yoga is about fancy poses and learning to do them perfectly. No. The poses are simply tools to help us learn to quiet our minds.

If we learn to quiet our minds during yoga class, we can then take this practice off-the-mat into our everyday lives. We can learn to live more fully; to be more present with ourselves and others; and to be more conscious of what we are doing.

If staying in the present moment doesn't come easily to you, join my virtual yoga classes or other mindfulness classes to learn to stay in the moment. Your life will be richer because of it!

Best,

Christine

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Wellness & Yoga with Christine

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