As we devote more time to meditation practice, we begin to taste what it’s like to be in the present moment. We gain a deeper appreciation for being in the moment, but we also notice how often we get pulled away from the moment by our thoughts and fantasies.
At this point, we ask, “how do I stay in the moment?” The more we practice mindfulness meditation, the more we become painfully aware of just how frequently we are NOT in the moment. So what’s the secret to staying in the moment?
The good news is, we don’t have to worry about that! We actually don’t have to worry about staying in the moment. That’s not our job in mindfulness practice. Our job is to RETURN to the moment when we have drifted off.
There is a subtle difference between the two, but it’s a very important difference. We actually cannot prevent our minds from wandering off from the moment. The truth is, we have no control over what is going to arise in our minds in the next moment. We have no control what thoughts we are going to have in the next moment, or any moment. So, whether our mind stays in the moment or goes somewhere else, we have no control over that.
But we do have a choice in RETURNING to the present moment as soon as we realize that we’re pulled away by thoughts. We do have a choice in bringing our attention back to the breath.
The Diamond Sutra (Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra in Sanskrit), one of the most important Buddhist texts, has a line that sums up meditation beautifully: “Do not be attached to any thoughts that arise in the mind.”
Notice that The Diamond Sutra doesn’t say “prevent any thoughts from arising in the mind.” It just says to not be attached to the thoughts. That means our practice is simply to let go of our thoughts and RETURN to the moment.
REFERENCES:
Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, Tang Dynasty, 618-907.
Mindfulness FAQ 