Mindfulness: Being in the Moment

There are times in life when you suddenly realise, that while you thought you were partaking in a experience, you actually weren't. 

On my recent Dream Nourish to Kiama I experienced one of these moments. We had decided to revisit the blowhole, anticipating higher spouts of water due to a weather warning about the ocean swell. When we arrived at the point we saw the water shooting high into the air. Marvellous! Exactly what we hoped to experience. Then, out came the camera/phone to capture what we were seeing.

But though this action, our experience changed. We lost being in the moment. We became caught up in capturing the moment for future use. The dialogue in our head changed because we began to view life though the lens. 

The experience of the blow hole began to look like...

The past...Oh I just missed the shot.

The future...I'll just keep looking though the lens and wait for the perfect timing to get the perfect shot. I need to capture an image to share or to help us remember.

While a being in the moment experience, the here and now, your experience can sound and look like... 

Wow!

W-ho!

Look how high it goes.

Look at the spray.

Hear the whoosh sound.

See the water fall from the air, back onto the rocks.

See the water running off the rocks back into the hole.

See the water; shooting, cascading, dripping and dribbling.

When living in the moment, the experience is richer. You don't worry about the past or think about the future. You are in the here and now.

By no means does this suggest that you cannot capture the experience using your camera or phone. I am suggesting that first take some time to experience the moment. Drink in all the sights, sounds and feelings associated with the experience. It is in the moment of being truly present, that the experience is etched into your memory.