Living in the Present: A Meditation on Time
Time is a tricky thing.
If we live long enough, we face more experiences and stories about death and divorce than we ever anticipated or expected. The truth is time never agrees to move backwards—it is always moving forward. It ebbs and flows nonlinearly, and if we are keenly aware and present, we can travel it intentionally, stacking our days with experiences and people and places that make our time on earth full and unique.
As perceivers and dwellers of the outside world, we only have a conceptual grip on time. Ancient civilizations like the Romans determined we should refer to orbits of celestial bodies for units of change—days, months, and years. Now we track transitions through the modern clock, which for most of us means smartphones and Apple watches for personal convenience.
With age comes wisdom, and what I have learned more than anything—albeit cliché—is that yesterday is over and tomorrow has not come. As Marcus Aurelius said, "The present is all we have to live in. Or to lose." Living in the present takes practice, and through the hard facts of science, the teachings of Buddha, and the mechanics of yoga, I have become more agile in my body and aware of time in my brain—most specifically, the now.
When I first engaged in a yoga practice, I was perhaps as clumsy and unsure as any other beginner. It was 1999, and I was living in San Francisco with my cousin Kyle and his partner Ben for the summer. At a posh club, while they played tennis, I took yoga lessons. My first memory of being in downward dog was, "Wow, those gay guys have nice tennis legs!" Class by class, I learned the physical movement of one breath per pose, sequencing, and mostly, the fluctuation and contraction of time and space.
Gary Zukav, known for his exploration of quantum physics and spiritual growth, often emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment, viewing it as a vast and intricate tapestry of experiences waiting to be explored. He suggests that the present moment is a rich and dynamic space, brimming with possibilities and opportunities for growth and connection—a wellspring of potential, if you will. As Zukav puts it, "We do have today and this moment, this breath. We can not only start but engage there."
As we go through life, may we not chase the past or create expectations for the future. May we truly be present. What is past is left behind; that experience or occurrence is over now. The future is yet to come, no matter how much we wring our hands or toss and turn at night. May we work in the present moment to make our past better and our future brighter.
Instead of aimlessly wandering through time, may we consciously be aware of the now and set an intention to travel it, being keenly present and living each day in a way where we never look back with regret.
