On this morning’s long daily walk, I was with a dear neighbor, who, when I ask how she’s doing, says she’s “anxious.”

Me: “So you’re projecting into the future.”

She nods.

“You’re continuously projecting into the future, trying to figure out what will happen.”

Yes.

 

And her kids are always demanding things of her, right now, right now, right now!

And she has numerous decisions to make, this week!

 

I told her what I do to let go of anxiety: and that is to wake up! — and return to the present moment, over and over again. How? First of all, by stopping to indulge in a long slow breath. At least one. Maybe more. Notice how my nervous system then begins to calm down too. Because of course, it has been participating in the hyper-aroused anxious state.

In breathing deeply, at least once, by thus returning to the present moment, and then, remembering to fully appreciate that present moment stretching into infinity, I move into gratitude. Deep, all pervasive gratitude. For everything, the entire kit and kaboodle.

 

Okay, well and good. But how to stay there? How to remain in the state of gratitude?

All I can do is to keep breathing and opening. Opening to the present moment. In doing so I cultivate another, “higher awareness,” one which notices all of what is going on “down below,” my usual frantic busyness, extreme to the point of utter panic.

Of course, that “lower self” keeps on intruding, trying to pull me back into its fraught, tumultuous 3-D life; of course! And 5D higher self, that fair witness to all that the lower self is going through, just keeps on noticing, not judging, not being furious (that I would get so upset!) or judgmental (there I go again!), but simply noticing, no emotion, neutral. Calm, peaceful. As peaceful as the wide open sky.

This is a lifetime practice, of course. Even at 83 years of age, I seldom dwell for more than a few fleeting seconds actually, truly, in the present moment, that portal into Mystery.

What’s changed is that it takes me only a millisecond to remember, to open that door again, to return to HERE, and NOW.

Forever.