We can all identify with Jack Black in this picture. Day in, day out, we’re tied down by Lilliputians in the form of zillions of picky-boony tasks, errands, to-do lists and obligations, laws and legalese, too many emails in the in-box, too much junk mail in the post box and too little time to deal with it all.
It’s like WHAT???? The day’s hardly started and suddenly it’s 3 pm and what have I accomplished? What happened to all those hours today? Hours of my life? How did I spend them? Where was I during the process? How did it come to this?
To deal with this situation without actually changing anything, a lot of spiritual people talk about the importance of being present … be present while you’re chopping wood and hauling water … be present while you’re taking the dog in for her rabies shot … be present while you’re stuck in traffic … be present in that argument with your spouse over the bills at 11 pm at night.
And I’ve kinda gone along with this. I’ve never made it an actual practice. But I’ve nodded my head in unconsidered agreement for years. And then yesterday a friend sent me an email with a link to some talk by a guy called Bentinho Massaro http://www.bentinhomassaro.com. And because I deeply respect this particular friend’s insightfulness into all matters spiritual, I checked him out. And was impressed.
I watched a few minutes from a couple clips and one thing he said that jumped out at me was this: Forget being present. Presence is what you’re looking for.
And my mind went DING DING DING!!!! And my heart leapt and my mouth smiled and everything in me went: BINGO!
I didn’t watch the rest of the video so I have no idea what his reasoning behind this is. But I sure as hell know why I agree with his statement. And it’s this: Being present to all the millions of things we create to deal with everyday just means further solidifying and validating the limited hogtied consciousness that created a life filled with boring minutia in the first place.
Being PRESENT with all this crap does nothing to shift us out of the mindset that created it. I mean, come on. Does being “present” watching Donald Trump speak make the experience any greater? No. It simply makes us feel better about ourselves for dealing with it in a “spiritual” manner instead of screaming in boredom, frustration and disgust.
On the other hand, PRESENCE – what I term I AM — is boundless.
It’s the rip-snorting, untetherable, heart-pumping gloriousness of being alive.
It’s pure straight-up LIFE FORCE.
Pure ball-busting CREATION.
Wow! How much more potent reaching deep inside for the power of I AM — the Creative Intelligence that set the multiverse into motion — than trying to keep the ego mind attentive to its lackluster present condition. And here’s the thing … when we’re tapped into the I AM presence, even the most “lackluster” appearing situation is anything but!
Presence is vital! Presence is tuned-in! Presence is awareness! Awareness that every molecule, every breath, every heartbeat, every soap bubble in the kitchen sink is a universe all its own containing limitless energy and potential. Presence is breathtaking … joyous … precious … all inclusive …
Words fail me.
But you get the picture.