5 Spiritual Tips for Living in the Present

Imagine for a moment how your day might look if you knew that in this moment – right now – everything is exactly as it should be? Would it change how you feel about anything in your life? How would you breathe, walk, and talk, knowing that there is an inner perfection that exists in everything and everyone, including you? How would you carry yourself with a deep understanding that there is a design beneath the disorder, and a higher purpose for everything that has occurred, is occurring, and is about to occur in your life? 

"Experience the beauty that exists in the moment."

In the hustle-bustle nature of everyday life, it is so easy to neglect the present. When we’re not focused on our endless goals or To-Do lists, we’re likely thinking about the past. We may have regrets about what we have done, or perhaps we’re holding onto memories of old glory days. It’s good to have goals and yes, it’s good to have memories, but not at the expense of seeing – and perhaps more importantly, experiencing – the beauty that exists in the moment.

Of course, the reason it’s so difficult for us to really live in the present is because that’s also unfortunately where our challenges lie. The present is where we feel stuck. We look at where we are and compare it to where we want to be, and it frustrates us. It could be that our job or our love life leaves something to be desired, or perhaps someone has hurt us and we are finding it difficult to move on.  

We cannot pull ourselves out of a rut and ascend to our next spiritual level without first learning to see the perfection that exists in the now. Embracing the present does not mean that we don’t see where we want to go, or how we want to grow. It does not mean diminishing our desire, or not striving to improve our lives. It simply means that we acknowledge and make peace with our current situation as a necessary step in our development. Through accepting our present circumstances as being perfect in their own way, we can move forward into the future with clarity and certainty. 

"See the perfection that exists in the now."

Learning to embrace the present is no easy task, and it takes a lifetime of work. Here are a few tips to help with this powerful, transformational process:  

1. Do not run from your challenges.

It is a natural instinct to resist and fight when things get difficult. We want immediate solutions or else we feel hopeless. When our career is stalling, for instance, it makes us think we will be stuck in that position forever. It might make us lash out at people or act irrationally. It’s important to pause, take a step back, and just observe the challenges we are up against. We cannot move on without first assessing the areas that are causing us pain. This can take some digging to find the root. Is it really our job that is bothering us, or is it a money issue? A respect issue? Being open and honest with ourselves can reveal hidden truths that we are not even aware of. 

2. Trust that every situation is a hidden blessing.

On the other side of every challenge is a hidden blessing waiting to be revealed. To truly live in the present is to know the Creator’s hand is in every aspect of our lives. We don’t need to see it. We just have to trust it. In this way, we can start to see the obstacles themselves as blessings. The Creator does not give us anything that He does not think we can handle. (That means we must be pretty tough!) Having certainty in the Creator means knowing that He has our best intentions at heart, even when we can’t see it. Every obstacle, no matter how difficult, is an opportunity to learn and grow.

When we accept our mistakes as necessary steps in our growth and development, we stop beating ourselves up for them. When we accept hurt feelings and heartbreaks as part of a positive process that has the ability to transform us into better people, we will no longer feel the need to dwell upon them. When we can accept that we are right where we are meant to be at any given moment – no, at every given moment – fears, doubts, worries, and anxieties dissipate. 

3. Count your blessings.

No, seriously. Count them. Just try. They’re endless. Studies claim that if you have clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world. If you have any money in your bank or wallet whatsoever, you are in the top 8% of the world’s most wealthy. If you are reading this article, you are more fortunate than the 3 billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

The truth is, we cannot begin to fathom how truly blessed we are in life, but what we can do is shift the way we perceive our difficulties. Imagine being invited to stay at a gorgeous tropical resort with the most beautiful perfect room you can imagine. You walk into the room and it has everything you could ever want for. In the corner of that room, you spy a tiny speck of dirt on the floor. Now imagine spending your entire stay in this room staring at that speck of dirt, obsessing over it, wishing that it weren’t there or that it would just go away. It sounds funny, but this is how we operate in our daily lives. Our problems are so small compared to our blessings. By focusing on the positive, we are sure to enable a more positive experience of life. 

4. Experience Shabbat.

At The Kabbalah Centre, we believe that Shabbat is not a religiously mandated occurrence, but a cosmically designated one. It is a day in which all of humanity is clothed solely in positivity, and all individuals can access the energy of renewal and restoration.

The kabbalists teach a great secret about the power of Shabbat. It is said that if you can see everything and everyone as perfect, just for this 24-hour window in time, it will make seeing the perfection in everything that much easier throughout the week. Try it and see. Try seeing the perfection that exists during Shabbat. You might find you are better able to see the perfection of now throughout the week. 

5. Open yourself to guidance.

All things are possible through the Creator, and we cannot do it alone. Ask the Creator for the strength and clarity to move forward. Look for opportunities, and let the Creator lead you.

- - -

When we don’t find acceptance for the challenges in our life, we operate from a place of fear, anger, hurt, or worry in the present. By finding the Light in current situation, we can learn from it and strive to become better versions of ourselves.