It is Happening Now

Last updated on: June 29, 2023 at 2:32 pm by Spiritual Naturalist Society

It is Happening Now 2023-06-25T14:33:32-04:00 Spiritual Naturalist Society

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

by Daniel Shkolnik

The point of this writing is not to make a rational argument or assert truth-claims, but to bring you into a state of presence. I invite you to read the following sentences without agreeing or disagreeing with anything I say and let the words lead you into presence:

Be awake. Be alert. Or you’ll miss it.
Be like a cat watching a mouse-hole. Be like a servant waiting for the master to return.
You never know when “God” will appear. So be alert. Watch for it.
And if you are totally present, you’ll start to notice that God is appearing now, at every moment.
Now and now and now.

Ram Dass’s teacher, Maharaj-ji, would write in his journal the significant events of each day. And on every page he’d write: “Ram, Ram, Ram, Ram…” which means “God, God, God, God…” He filled notebooks this way.

Look up. It is happening now, all around you. The wind in the tree. The light and shadow on the asphalt. That man on the street.

We may see the tree, but fail to notice that it is the tree of life. We may see the light and shadows on the sidewalk, but fail to see the yin yang at play. We may see the man and fail to see that he is a king.

Death is a great teacher of presence. Death brings the world into focus. When the house is on fire, there is no future, there is no past, there is only the present moment. If we can look death in the eyes and keep our focus, we are ushered immediately into the presence of God.

God is not an Abrahamic deity. Neither is it an Indian one. God is Reality. Reality is that which Is.

To be present is to see the Is-ness of what’s in front of you. To be present is to be fully awake to the present moment. This is easy to do for 2-5 seconds at a time.

Do it now: Take a deep breath and relax. Let go of all thoughts and judgements. And notice that, when the thoughts depart, you remain. You exist. You Are.

After a few seconds, the thoughts may return. Take another deep breath and relax for another 2-5 seconds — enter the silence.

Meditation is just a series of breaths followed by 2-5 seconds of presence. Enlightenment is simply a state of presence as we go about our lives.

You do not have to force yourself awake. In fact, you can’t. Just like you can’t flatten a choppy lake with an iron. Instead, relax. The lake will quiet on its own.

Your thoughts will pass like clouds in the sky. The thoughts are not the enemy. The thoughts are themselves sky. Just like waves on the lake are themselves made out of lake.

In just the same way, everything we perceive is made of the same Is-ness. Just like gold can be molded into countless forms of jewelry. The Is-ness of reality takes on countless, priceless forms around us.

Some descriptions of Nirvana illustrate it as a realm of lotus flowers, some as large as planets, covered in priceless jewels. These writers describe Nirvana as a paradise of wealth and beauty so immense that the mind has trouble keeping up—which is exactly the point.

Zen and Dzogchen masters sometimes like to ambush their students with surprise attacks using brooms or wooden swords. Or they may pull the chair out from under them and send them crashing to the floor. In that moment of pain, surprise, and shock: the mind goes blank. You are totally present. You are totally here.

Let go of the mind. Let go of your thoughts. Let go of your emotions. Don’t worry, they won’t disappear. More will come. But more importantly: you won’t disappear. You will remain: because you are the sky. You are the ocean. You are the consciousness in which all things appear and disappear.

Be awake. Be alert. Or you’ll miss it. All trees are the tree of life. All men are kings, all women are queens. And every day is a holy day.

Ram. Ram. Ram. Ram. Ram… Everything. Everywhere. All of it.

More Voices

Previous Post

June 29, 2023

Eat, Drink and Be Merry?

Next Post

July 17, 2023 Practicing Mindful Walking

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Spiritual Naturalism Uncategorized

Select a Month August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 August 2017 July 2017 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 January 2015 December 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 April 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz