Past, Present, Future
Past, Present, Future. Have you traveled back to an imagined past? Are you wondering or worrying about an imagined future? Notice. Quickly label it.
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Take a comfortable seat in a quiet place
Drop weight down into your sitz bones,
and feel into an opposing upward, natural lift through your spine
Close your eyes to turn your attention inward
And settle your focus on your breath
Breathe patiently and quietly in and out through your nose
Stay present right here, right now
With this one breath in, and this one breath out
With a relaxed spaciousness, hold the mind still on the breath
Watch breath as if it’s the most precious thing you’ve ever seen
Curious about the breath. Loving the breath. Grateful for breath.
Fully immerse yourself in breath awareness
(pause 3-5 breaths)
Each time you notice that your mind is no longer present with breath,
Where is it?
Have you traveled back to an imagined past?
Are you wondering or worrying about an imagined future?
Notice. Quickly label your thinking as ‘past’ or ‘future’
and then return to the present,
Return to awareness of breath
Once you’ve noticed, once you’ve applied the label, let it go
No more lingering, no asking why, come right back to the breath
Stay present, with this one breath in, and this one breath out
In love with your breath. In love with this experience of breath
Fully present with breath
(pause 3-5 breaths)
Where are you right now?
Past, future? Or present with breath?
Past thoughts include memories, rumination, replaying, rehashing, looking back
Future thinking includes to-do lists, planning, worrying, wondering, impatience
Notice. Apply the label, and come right back to the breath
Let the labeling give you permission to let go of the thought
I see you, I recognize you, no need to spend time with you,
Come right back to the breath
(pause 3-5 breaths)
Practice this return to present moment awareness as many times as you need to
Here you are, right now, present
Present with this one breath in, this one breath out
The past is the past, label it, and let it go
Stay right here, fully integrated between body, mind and breath
The future is a fantasy, label it and let it go
Stay right here, fully integrated with body, mind and breath
(pause 3-5 breaths)
In love with the breath, content with the breath
Realize that the only place where we can experience this peace
This joy, contentment and gratitude
Is right here, and right now
Stay here
Your past is not any one thing, or any one way
It is moving, changing
The future cannot be pinned down, it’s only a wish, an assumption, a hope
Stay here
Stay here in the one place where your joy exists
Here, in the one place where contentment exists
Here, in the one place where you can be free from the illusion of the past or the future
And fully immersed in what is real
Drop in to the reality of this one breath in, and this one breath out
With a relaxed spaciousness, hold the mind on the breath
Watch breath as if it’s the most precious thing you’ve ever seen
Curious about the breath. Loving the breath. Grateful for breath.
Fully immerse yourself in breath awareness
Remain present, right here, right now
end
