Being in the moment

We often hear the phrase, “being in the present moment” or simply “being in the moment”. In today’s article, I would like to explain the meaning and importance of this phrase and how we can apply it in our day-to-day life.

The phrase “being in the moment” encapsulates the practice of building a deep sense of awareness, which involves intentionally paying attention to the present moment without judgment. It means fully engaging with whatever is happening at this moment, be it in your mind or around you. It could be a thought that just came up based on some past experience, a physical sensation, emotion, or an activity you are engaged in. Being in the moment means that you stay focused and fully engaged without getting caught up in regrets about the past or worries about the future.

Being in the moment is significant because it allows us to experience life more fully and deeply. When we are stuck in the past or are projecting life into the future, our mind is always going to be agitated and unsettled. When we’re fully present, we’re more able to appreciate the beauty and richness of our experiences and connect more deeply with ourselves and others. We are able to respond to life’s challenges with greater clarity and resilience. It also helps to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression by grounding us in the present moment and helping us let go of negative thoughts and emotions.

Some examples from our daily life

Let us take a look at some examples from our daily life that highlight situations when we are “not in the moment” and others when we are “in the moment”. 

Not Being in the Moment

1. Multitasking: Trying to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously, such as texting while having a conversation or checking emails during a meeting, prevents you from fully engaging with any one activity and detracts from being efficient and productive.
2. Dwelling on the past: Ruminating over past mistakes or regrets, replaying conversations or events in the mind, prevents you from fully experiencing the present moment and moving forward with clarity and intention. Equally harmful is to dwell on past successes and achievements. You can get into the habit of reminding yourself and others of these achievements, thus taking attention away from what is important in the present m
3. Worrying about the future: Constantly fretting about what might happen, making endless to-do lists, or obsessing over future outcomes robs you of the joy and opportunities available in the present moment. By constantly thinking about your promotion, you are actually not able to fully focus on the task at hand. This, in fact, may hamper your productivity and diminish your chances of promotion.
4. Being consumed by electronic devices: Spending excessive time scrolling through social media, binge-watching TV shows, or playing video games can lead to a disconnect from the present moment and hinder meaningful connections with others. It is not uncommon to see people ignoring the host or the guests at a social gathering; instead, they get absorbed in their electronic devices.
5. Daydreaming or zoning out: Allowing your mind to wander aimlessly, lost in thoughts or fantasies, can distract you from the richness of the present moment and lead to missed opportunities for growth and connection.

Being in the Moment

1. Enjoying a cup of tea or coffee: When you savor each sip, fully engaging your senses to appreciate the aroma, taste, and the soothing warmth of the beverage, you are being present in the moment.
2. Spending quality time with loved ones: When you put away distractions like smartphones and actively engage in the conversation, share laughter, and connect emotionally with your family or friends, you are fully present in the moment.
3. Engaging in physical activity: Whether it’s going for a walk, practicing yoga, or playing a sport, when you focus on the sensations in your body, the rhythm of your breath, and the environment around you, you are being in the moment. For example, when you practice your yoga with full awareness, you keep the practice safe, enjoyable and deeply beneficial.
4. Immersing yourself in a creative pursuit: Whether it’s painting, writing, or playing a musical instrument, when you lose yourself in the creative process, allowing ideas to flow naturally without worrying about the outcome, you are fully present in the moment.
5. Mindful eating: When you pay attention to the colors, textures, and flavors of your food, chewing slowly and savoring each bite without distractions, you are being in the moment and cultivating a deeper appreciation for nourishment. We often see people eating while watching TV or engaged in a heated conversation. They are missing out completely on the sheer joy of mindful eating.

How Yoga teaches us to be “in the moment”

How does yoga practice teach us the meaning and value of being in the present moment? As we know, in the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali tells us that by abiding in the eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) one can attain the final objective of life – Self-realization. However, from a practical standpoint, the three main components of yoga are asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation.  

Let’s look at these practices and see how “being in the moment” is indeed at the very core of these practices.

Asana

The two sutras that define asana are:

Sutra 2.46¹ Asana (seated posture) should be firm and comfortable.

Sutra 2.47²: By letting go of effort and through a deeply meditative awareness of the experience (a firm and comfortable asana is achieved).

It is important to know that the literal meaning of the word ‘asana’ is a seated posture. Having attained a firm and comfortable seated posture, Patanjali prescribes the practice of pranayama (breathing techniques). And, of course,

Patanjali’s main focus is to attain the state of Kaivalya (liberation) through the practice of meditation.   

As we know, the practice of āsana now encompasses not just the sitting, meditative postures but also many other postures in seated, standing, supine, and inverted positions. These asanas help us maintain a body that is physically strong, flexible, and free of impurities and ailments. That way we can develop the ability to sit for meditation for long periods of time.

The two definitions of asana mentioned above are applicable to not just the sitting but all other postures as well. As emphasized in sutra 2.46, we must always maintain a deep sense of meditative awareness on the experience during every asana. This level of awareness keeps us in the present moment, helps us enjoy the practice and keeps the practice safe and optimally beneficial.

In fact, this deep awareness or “being in the moment” during the asana practice is what distinguishes the practice of asana from other forms of exercise. For example, when you are on a treadmill in a gym, you are most likely to be engaged in either watching a movie, listening to music, reading something or talking to a friend. The body is allowed to move mechanically on the treadmill without any awareness of what’s happening in the body. In the practice of asana, on the other hand, the mind is not allowed to drift away from the experience at the physical, breath, and mental levels. 

Pranayama

The two sutras that provide a basic definition of pranayama are:

Sutra 2.49³: That [firm and comfortable posture] being acquired, controlled interruptions in the movements of inhalation and exhalation is pranayama.

Sutra 2.50: The components of pranayama are external modification (exhalation), internal modification (inhalation), and breath retention. When these are regulated with regard to space (location), time, and number, pranayama becomes long and subtle.

Based on the guidelines provided in the above two sutras, a large number of pranayama practices have evolved over time. The most referenced text for these practices is the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. In the yoga classes that I teach, we include several of the practices mentioned in this text.

When we practice pranayama, our mind is totally focused on the rhythm, flow and sensations of the breath. At the beginning of each yoga class, we go through a brief period of breath awareness. I always like to add that breath awareness is itself a deeply centering experience and helps us stay in the present moment. Each of the pranayama practices requires that we stay focused on the breath and follow the recommended guidelines closely. As an example, here are the guidelines for the practice of Nadi Shuddhi (alternate nostril breathing), also known as Anuloma Viloma pranayama:

1. Use Ujjayi pattern of breathing for each inhalation and exhalation.
2. Keep the breathing ‘soft’ implying very soft ujjayi sound.
3. Engage full lung capacity for each breath – perform 3-part deep breathing for each inhalation and exhalation.
4. Maintain a count in the mind – “aum 1, aum 2, etc.”, each being roughly one second for each inhalation and exhalation. This helps make an assessment of the relative duration of inhalation and exhalation. Our goal in this practice is to maintain a ratio of 1:2 between inhalation and exhalation.
5. Keep the breathing smooth and continuous.

When we try and maintain our focus on all the above guidelines, there is very little chance that the mind will drift off. Similar to the above, all other pranayama practices have their own guidelines which help keep the mind fully focused on the practice. Thus, we stay fully in the present moment and derive full benefits from our pranayama practices. 

In addition to all the benefits that Pranayama offers at the physical, physiological and mental levels, it also helps us prepare for the practice of meditation. Sutra 2.53 states:

Sutra 2.53⁵: “And the mind becomes fit for concentration (dhāraṇā).”

Meditation

As we know, in the eight limbs of yoga, dharana is the first of the three stages of meditation and brings the mind to an initial state of focus. Once dharana is attained, we transition to the practice of dhyana (meditation). Here is the definition of meditation (dhyana) in the yoga sutras:

Sutra 3.2⁶: (Having attained the state of dhāraṇā) maintaining an uninterrupted flow of the same content in the mind is dhyana (meditation)

As we can see, the very definition of meditation implies that we stay in the moment for a long period of time without letting the mind be distracted by other thoughts. Meditation, thus, is the key practice in yoga that keeps us deeply focused on the object of meditation, be it the breath, a mantra, or any other object. When meditation gets deeper, we gradually drift into the state of samadhi where the mind becomes empty of all other thoughts except the single object of meditation.

As we see, the practice of yoga helps us stay in the present moment and does not allow us to drop back to the past or project into the future. With regular practice, we train our mind to stay in the moment even during our day-to-day activities.

By cultivating a deep sense of awareness and consciously choosing to be present in each moment, we enhance our overall well-being, deepen our relationships, and experience greater fulfillment in our lives.

1. स्थिरसुखमासनम्॥४६॥ sthira-sukham-āsanam ॥46॥
2. प्रयत्नशैथिल्यानन्त्यसमापत्तिभ्याम्॥४७॥ prayatna-śaithilya-ananta-samāpatti-bhyām ॥47॥
3. तस्मिन् सति श्वासप्रश्वासयोर्गतिविच्छेदः प्राणायामः॥४९॥ tasmin sati śvāsa-praśvāsyor-gati-vicchedaḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ ॥49॥
4. बाह्याभ्यन्तरस्तम्भवृत्तिर्देशकालसंख्याभिः परिदृष्टो दीर्घसूक्ष्मः॥५०॥ bāhya-ābhyantara-sthambha vr̥ttiḥ deśa-kāla-sankhyābhiḥ paridr̥ṣṭo dīrgha-sūkṣmaḥ ॥50॥
5. धारणासु च योग्यता मनसः॥५३॥dhāraṇāsu ca yogyatā manasaḥ ॥53॥
6. तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम्॥२॥ tatra pratyaya-ikatānatā dhyānam ॥2॥