About Living in the Present

Living In the Present is a dynamic form of mindfulness meditation, which combines movement, silence and dialogue to help us learn to accept and trust our life experience - just as it is. It is a holistic approach that engages the body, mind, emotions, and breath synergistically. By connecting with the breath, moving awareness into the body, witnessing our thoughts and opening the heart, we can focus on the moment and experience the joy, peace, wisdom and power of being present.

The Practice of LITP / Dynamic Mindfulness Meditation
* Learning to become present - any time, anywhere
* Developing the skill of deep listening
* Increasing the ability to respond (responsibility)
* Conscious breathing for well being
* Getting free of unnecessary suffering
* Releasing stress and transforming fears
* Discovering your vision and your life's work
* Focusing spacous attention on your wise intentions
* Fostering conscious relationships & mindful communication
* Generating loving kindness and compassion for your Self & for the
   human condition
* Sourcing your power & creating conscious change from the present


Attitude, Principles and Steps
The following attitude, principles and steps can be practiced while - sitting, standing, walking or lying down and moving.
(Detailed instructions for LITP Moving Meditation are available on the CD -
The Present, and in the 'Daily practice' page)

Attitude
Generate loving kindness & compassion for yourself and for the human condition

Principles
* Look and see.. (Noticing)
* Let it be.. (Accepting)
* Be free.. (Letting go)

Steps
Inhaling & exhaling:
* Connect with your breath..
* Sense your bodily sensations..
* Notice your thoughts..
* Feel your emotions..
* Accept this moment..
* Rest in the present..

Frequently Asked Questions About 'Living in the Present'

What is the present? The present is the gift of being in the Now.
We can have glimpses of being present at random moments: when we feel awe for life; when we find ourselves quietly enjoying nature, when a baby is born, when we fall in love, when a loved one dies, when we are brought to stillness by beauty, art, music, dance, or even at times of sudden loss or great danger. At times such as these, we find that our minds are "still" enough to allow our bodies to connect to the present, without interference, judgment, or fear. In the present - there is a simple joy of being. In the present moment there is a natural acceptance of the inevitability of life. Everything that is happening right now - is interconnected to everything that's ever happened before, regardless of our circumstances or conditions. This is the simple feeling of happiness - now.
The present moment is the point of our authentic power. When we are present we can be responsible to our lives; able-to-respond to life's challenges rather than to react from 'automatic pilot'. Being present - can empower us to make conscious change.

 
Can we be present all the time? It's easier to be present when life flows smoothly, and when things are going our way. However, when life suddenly turn out to be different than what we expect it to be - more often than not for the worse, the mind gets jolted and shocked out of the present moment. The jolt often triggers old memories, or an unconscious fear we have about life - which gets re-enacted. The struggle to survive the jolt and understand it brings up a lot of stress. We go into our heads - and suffer the consequences of the mind struggling and arguing with itself, trying to make sense of something that we have not fully experienced. The possibility then remains for us to return to the present - and that is what this practice is really about.
People often ask how can we live in the present in a culture that is so preoccupied with the past, and does so much strategizing and planning for the future. While we still live in the paradigm of linear time, it is possible and certainly more more enjoyable to plan for the future while being in the present. Living in the present is a cultivation and a process rather than a result - therefore it requires practice.


How can we return to the present, when we 'fall out' of it? To return to and become present again, we must be willing to experience life on a visceral level; connect to where we left off when we got jolted out of the moment. Connect to the breathing, notice and accept our bodily sensations, thoughts and feelings, rather than continuing to 'be in the head', struggling with and reacting to fear-based thinking. We need to accept the inevitable now - of our experience.
To put it simply - we need to fall in love with the 'present' of our life again.


What is the connection between the present and mindfulness meditation? The process of compassionately connecting with the breath, bodily sensations, thoughts and feelings as they unfold moment by moment - is mindfulness meditation. It is paying non judgmental attention to our experience beyond our perceptions. Investigating our thinking, judgments and the meaning we give toi things that in by themseselves have no meaning.

What is Dynamic Mindfulness? It is a practice of being present - in all the different positions that we find ourselves in on a daily basis: sitting, walking, standing, lying down, moving talking. Facing all of life's challenges as they come. Dynamic Mindfulness is both cognitive and energetic. We investigate our thoughts and feelings, while dynamically enhancing and becoming aware of our breath.


How did you come to it? I noticed that nothing I ever planned - has ever happened exactly as I planned it to be. Not once, have I been able to imagine the next moment - exactly as it happened, and yet my mind never stopped imagining and planning. I have spent so many precious moments being stressed, worried, anxious and depressed about things that proved to be futile - that I had to both develop a deeper understanding for how the mind works, and cultivate compassion for being part of the human condition. I had to explore ways of reducing my suffering, and managing my thinking. Since I have always been a seeker of happiness (against my conditioning) mindfulness meditation came to me when I was ready to accept suffering as something that was not personal but part of the human condition. While in our culture happiness isbased on the fulfillment of future requirements, in the present - happiness can be accessed in this very breath..


How is this different from therapy? 'Living in the Present' starts where therapy leaves off. It is a practice geared to help us connect us with, and accept the inevitable now. If someone is dealing with an issue such as fear of intimacy, we are not as engaged so much in the 'why', as in the 'how'. "How am I experiencing it right now - in my body, breath, thoughts and emotions?" Experiencing the "fear of intimacy" - in the present moment, transforms it from an issue to a practice, which means taking responsibility for your life - now. Individuals and couples - are often referred to this work by their psychotherapists.


When can I best use the practice of Living in the Present? You can use this practice - whenever you are stressed out, in a state of suffering, having an anxiety attack, while having an argument or conflict with a friend, co-worker or a loved one, or when you realize that you are reactive - on automaic pilot and' in your head' - hardly able to take a full breath. Simply slow down... connect with and surrender to your breath... sense your body and the ground under your feet... notice your thoughts non-judmentally... accept your feelings... open your heart with compassion to yourself... accept this moment as it is...
Of-course, practicing on daily basis, will deepen and solidify this skill and help you develop the awareness of being present, and access it more often, and with more ease.

Testimonials

"I learned how to become truly intimate with myself, more grounded and more responsive. I received the gift of listening to my self and to others"
K . Whittman, Dancer/actor

"I learned to live consciously without fear and shame"
B. Fasano, Accountant - living with HIV

"Samuel inspires growth and honesty. In the gentlest way you get to transform your fears and pains into love. Being in his presence makes it impossible for one not to connect to their true nature"
G. Labelle, Business owner and entrepreneur

"Living in the Present" teaches me how to focus on the moment, explore myself and my true identity - and it strengthens me"
Cancer patient at Gilda's club

"I have found mindfulness meditation tremendously beneficial...it has improved my personal and work relationships immensely"
L. Saulino, Training director, major NYC financial institution