being here

hello hello, in this week’s newsletter, I discussed the ephemeral nature of memories. this meditation prompt goes explores the process of grounding when we are faced with an uninvited trip down memory lane. thank you for being here with me, see you on Sunday with Moments for Now dispatch. xx,James memories can present themselves when we least wish them to. we may be going about our day and suddenly be flooded with feelings from an experience that happened years ago. the mind will kick into action, doing it’s best to unpack the issue. this can lead to anxiety that wasn’t there more than a minute ago. in these instances, everything feels so real. if we’re able to press pause on the mental process, we might see them for the fabricated experiences they really are. today we are going to practice recentering, step by step, together. this way you are prepared the next time you feel a memory arising, uninvited. let’s first begin by actively grounding, by taking three deep breaths. intentionally going deep into the center of ourselves. inhale feeling the chest rise, exhale, letting tension go inhale filling up the heart, exhale relaxing the mouth and lips inhale expanding the belly, exhale coming into stillness. feel the presence of your being. this being contains wide open space, this space is full of warmth. this space is the true essence of who you are. it contains multitudes and nothingness, everything without definition and beyond any limits. this is a place of serenity. the body can relax, as the mind finds a place of rest. in this place, this clearing in the mind, say to yourself, I am here. I am here. I am here. recognize the totality of your being. in this space, nothing exists but the moment of now. and you are entirely whole. you are the space and the being within it. any memory that occurs, is a postcard traveling through this space. we may pick up the postcard and turn it over in our hands, searching for meanings we cannot find or we can allow it to pass on by. we can look at it, acknowledge it without engaging our full emotion. when we do this, the image remains two dimensional and its ephemeral nature is accepted. rather than activating the thoughts, focus on a phrase that roots you in the present moment. that happened then, I am here now. that happened then, I am here now. that happened then, I am here now. take stock of your immediate surroundings. inhabit the space that you’re physically in right now. when you’re in a space that is bringing up old memories, bring back your phrase, grounding yourself into the moment. that happened then, I am here now. that happened then, I am here now. that happened then, I am here now. when you can fully embody the experience of now, there can be joy found in the moment, inspired by the fact that you are no longer in any old situation. no matter what similarities the past memories may hold to the present, the two are not the same. you have learned from prior experience, you hold the power to choose how you to react. just as a dog barks at the same noises over and over, the mind activates on phantoms that we don’t need to entertain. if you continue to feel out of touch with this moment, connect with the body. bring your attention to the hands. press them together. the hands can only interact with the realm of the tangible present. let them serve as a conduit between you and the immediate world. become aware of the warmth growing in the center of the palms. notice the sensation of the fingertips as they touch. perhaps you feel the texture of your fingerprints as they meet. straighten the fingers ever so slightly, feel the creases of your knuckles as they come together a little more than before. the hands are the bridge between you and the world, serving both as a guide and a companion. extend your touch with intention. remind your mind with your phrase: that happened then, I am here nowI am here nowI am here now this moment is the only moment. thank you for being here with me for this period of time. let us move forward with the peace of presence leading the way. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nowisgood.substack.com