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Angeles Arrien is a cultural anthropologist, award-winning author, educator, and consultant to many organizations and businesses. She lectures and conducts workshops worldwide, bridging cultural anthropology, psychology, and comparative religions. Her work is currently used in medical, academic, and corporate environments. Angeles is the President of the Foundation for Cross-Cultural Education and Research. Her books have been translated into nine languages, and she has received three honorary doctorate degrees in recognition of her work. 

Please check back later this summer to see our NEW WEBSITE-Coming Soon!

 
Announcing ~ Angeles Arrien’s latest CD has been released by Sounds True. 

 
                      August
Reflection                        

 
                             

       The Power of Living in the Present: The Here and Now 
                                            by Angeles Arrien


All choices are made in the present --- these choices have the power to course-correct the past and create our preferred future. The past is over and the future has yet to emerge. Many traditional societies believe that whatever is at our gate we can handle, otherwise it would not be there. This is the work of the present moment: to attend to what emerges in work, relationships and other aspects of our lives during each day. Can we plan and prepare well for each day, as well as be open to the unexpected circumstances or surprises that each day will also bring. As the Inuits say: “There are two plans for every day --  my plan and the Mystery’s plan.” 

Each day requires that we remain flexible to both plans. Can we be present to a phone call, e-mail, texting, letter, a child’s need, or a request without multi-tasking? Multi-tasking divides our attention and distracts our focus from the matter before us. Recent research indicates that multi-tasking is less efficient, increases stress, produces more errors, and leaves people feeling disrespected by our preoccupations. Multi-tasking or over attachment to “my plan” divides our attention, disorients and distracts our focus from the matter before us, and shuts down openness to possibilities not considered.

Can we stop and give our full presence and decision-making to whatever or whomever interrupts us; and gracefully return to the previous task until it is finished? This is the daily practice for developing presence, attention, flexibility, patience, and making considered choices in the present. It is only through our choices in the present, that allow us to create our preferred future and course-correct the past.

                                                                                

Practices

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Does your schedule or plan for today allow space for the unexpected and is there extra “unplanned” time available on your calendar?

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As a practice stop multi-tasking for the month of August; interrupt your pattern of multi-tasking. Attend to each task fully until it is completed. Handle interruptions with full attention and flexibility. Notice this month how much more productive, efficient, and fewer errors you will make by releasing a tendency to multi-task.

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Practice listening intently to what others say to you. Give them your full attention. What can you learn from this encounter? How can you meet this person’s request, or what can you offer them? What choice or decision needs to be made?



Past Reflections:              

Contact Information

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Last modified: May 04, 2009