The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
Graceful little ducks are swimming in a pond. Suddenly, two of the males get into a fight. The skirmish only lasts a short while, and afterwards, both ducks flap their wings to get rid of the excess energy and adrenaline. They then continue to swim peacefully, as if nothing had happened.
The ducks have no mind. They are not bound by ‘mind stuff’, illusions of how the world is based on the past or the future. They do not judge their present moment by comparing themselves to others, nor do they fear future repercussions that may or may not happen due to past events. They are completely free of ego and mind.
Human beings have a large tendency to deny the now; they deny what is. If we are to be at peace, we must first acknowledge what is, and refrain from judging it. Only then can we find stillness, peace and joy. And the only access to this state of being happens in the now.
The ego is defined by, and survives because we accept the notion of time. We look to the past and the present to solidify our sense of self, not realizing that we are not our minds. Ask yourself the simple question: ‘How can I live with myself?’
Who is it you’re living with?
Your true Self is not your thoughs, but the observer of your mind. Whenever you are overcome with emotion, accept that you are feeling the emotion, but do not foolishly believe that the emotion you feel is you. Observe what is happening to you, but know that it is external.
This is the essence of mindfulness and meditation.
Beware of the ‘pain body’ in your physical being, which has been created by the conditioning of your life. It manifests itself as a slight irritation, a feeling of loneliness, or an angry rage and, ultimately, physical and mental self-destruction.
Once we can learn to observe the mind, accept and recognize the pain body, we transmute the pain and it ceases to be pain. We shed light on the darkness, and it ceases to affect us.
This is essence of Enlightenment.
Life is right now. Bring your mind into your body and stop wasting your energy by ‘thinking’. Your mind is a tool to help improve your life situation, not your life. Now is your life.
PS. For anyone interested in learning to meditate, I can highly recommend an App called Headspace.