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. 

 
                      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