"The letting go or acceptance of your experience and state of mind as it is, is always the act of living completely and perfectly in this moment. For we have noted that ego consciousness is a bondage of time, being essentially a complex of memories and anticipations. All egocentric action has an eye to the past or the future; in the strict present the ego does not exist. This is easier to prove by experiment rather than theory, for in concentrating simply and solely upon what is happening at this moment, anticipation and anxiety vanish. ... Many masters of the spiritual life have therefore laid especial value upon the exercise of living and thinking simply in this moment, letting the past and the future drop out of the mind; for the ego drops away with them, together with its pride in the past and its fear and greed for the future." Alan W. Watts. "The Supreme Identity"

Leading a mindful life or living in this moment has much to do with the above quote from Alan Watts.

The Buddha's teaching was based on living in the present moment. Jesus Christ taught us in so many ways that heaven is here right now on earth.

For myself I know that, "As woman thinketh, so she is". When I am truly present in the moment, when I am being mind-full living in this moment, then I am peaceful, joyful and totally stress free.

I hope that some of the following ideas may help you all lead a stress free life at home and also at work. They seem so very simple, too simple, however please give at least one a try each day this coming week and see the difference it makes to leading a more aware or mindful life. The Buddha taught simplicity, that when we walk we only walk, when we talk we only talk, and when we eat we only eat. Let your mind and your actions be totally at one with the other.

Stress Free Living System

1. Rule number One is always 'Keep It Simple Sweetheart' (KISS)

2. Breathe deeply and often.

3. Begin and end the day with prayer, meditation or reflection.

4. Let Mother Nature nurture.

5. Carve out an hour a day for solitude.

6. Stop trying to please everybody.

7. Don't squander precious resources, time, creative energy, or emotion.

8. Cultivate gratitude in each moment.

9. Never make a promise you cannot keep.

10. Remember happiness is a living emotion.

11. Complete everything.

12. Set aside one day a week for total rest and renewal, a do nothing day.

Many people may say, 'So what is new, I have heard all of these ideas before', probably true. However ask yourself do you actually practice them? On my laptop screen saver I have created in very large print, "my life is my practice". I know that life only happens in the present moment. I know that my thoughts lead to my actions. I know that I can choose to live in heaven or hell, just by my own thoughts. I know that the more I try to practice a mindful life, the less my ego takes over and the lighter (enlightened?) my life becomes. However to make any change in my life, I have to practice making changes. I also know that my ego can come up with all sorts of reasons why I don't have to change! When this happens I go back to Stress Free Living System One and Two.

I am frequently so grateful to my blinking purple and yellow screen saver, as it reminds "my life is my practice", I come back to the present moment, I practice and every time I thank God I have the chance to begin anew in that moment.

The Mindfulness Practice Community of Bermuda meets every Sunday evening at 5.14 p.m. to support the practice of living in awareness. All are welcome to join us. Call 236-5976 (Betsy) or 236-4988. Email iamhomeibl.bm for more details.