Be here now

an invitation to silence

Be here now.

You are here.
There is no better place.

You are now.
There is no better time.

This practice of presence, is just this — to be here now, with all things, with life as it is, to honour the presence only found when we are here and now, resting fully in and as this unfolding presence itself.

Not looking to the future, nor delving into the past, as if what we find are tangible artefacts of something — they are not.

Be here now, there is no better time.

There is no other time, and there is no better place.

Because there is no alternative.

In this, everything is possible, everything we need to be here now is already present.

How do we know? Because we’re here now. What is present here and now is already here, in this living, breathing, unfolding moment. This is indisputable, look for yourself, and see. Give time and attention to contemplating this.

We mistake a moment as having a shape, size, or duration, as more important, or less important. But what we refer to as this moment, is the living, breathing edge of the unfolding miracle that we call life.

Because this living moment is abundant with the possibilities of this moment, it is where all grows, lives, and dies. Here now.

Only ever here, now.

It doesn’t matter if we’re repairing a fence, washing the dishes, chopping carrots, weeding the garden, hosting a meeting, reading, contemplating, or head bowed in silent prayer. All of these, when we are in their midst, we are here now, and we are being lived in them, not separate from them.

When we gaze out of the window whilst washing the dishes, we are not here now. We are moving the dishes, soaping them, washing them, rinsing them, but we are not here now with them. We will end with unclean dishes.

When we drink our tea, let us simply drink our tea. We cannot drink our tea and pray, we cannot drink our tea and meditate. Only if the tea and the drinking of it is our prayer, is our meditation. Only then are we fully present with it — here now.

Be here now.

This is not a way to avoid things, to push them away, it is rather to immerse in things as they are, and to act from here and now, always. Anything else is imagined.

Practice this now, in the best of times, in the most challenging of times, and it will serve you through all times. To be here now is to recognise our place in this, the divine unfolding.

If this is new to you, start today, right now, as you are reading. Then fetch a cuppa, or a glass of water, and sit with just that, the tea, the coffee, the water, the breeze on your cheek, whatever it is, be here with it, and any thoughts that appear to distract you, leave them alone.

Be here now.

Now, be.

Be.

Words by Andō.
Image by unknown.

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