Do you live in the past or the future?

“You will not have any doubt that psychological time is a mental disease if you look at its collective manifestations. They occur, for example, in the form of ideologies such as communism, national socialism or any nationalism, or rigid religious belief systems, which operate under the implicit assumption that the highest good lies in the future and that therefore the end justifies the means. The end is an idea, a point in the mind-projected future, when salvation in whatever form happiness, fulfillment, equality, liberation, and so on will be attained. Not infrequently, the means of getting there are the enslavement, torture, and murder of people in the present.”

Most people spend their times in both the past and the future. Their thoughts drift back and forth to the good or bad times of days before or to future when they expect things to be better or expect some tragedy to occur.

It's the constant chatter in our brain. Some people can only think, when I am successful, when I win the lottery, in a few months from now things will be better. While other people focus their attention on past hurts and losses.

Focussing on the past leads to depression and regrets. Focussing to much on the future and things that have not yet happened to us causes anxiety and worry. It's not wonder we've turned to the pharmaceutical industry to stop the endless mind chatter. People who do not turn to the medical world try to stop the chatter with drugs, sex, alcohol. But this never really works, does it?

“Is fulfillment always just around the corner or confined to short-lived pleasures, such as sex, food, drink, drugs, or thrills and excitement? Are you always focused on becoming, achieving, and attaining, or alternatively chasing some new thrill or pleasure? Do you believe that if you acquire more things you will become more fulfilled, good enough"

The beauty of life is in the NOW. Most of our life problems are not happening right now. They happened in the past. Anything in the future has not happened yet so it is only a speculation. Right now nothing is happening. Even if you have a problem, can you fix this very moment? If so then you should fix it, if not you don't have a problem right NOW.

The best things in life are free.... Or so they say. The best things are love, joy, laughter and nature. If your mind is constantly focussing on the past or the what if's of tomorrow you cannot enjoy these things or life in general.

Stop for a moment and just experience what is going on around you right now. Take a walk in nature and just listen to the sounds and look at what is around you. Don't think about yesterday or tomorrow.

You will find that this will bring you peace, not some hope or dream in the future.

Excerpt From: Eckhart, Tolle. “The Power of Now.” iBooks.