The power of living in the now is a technique used prevalently in meditation. This is perhaps the most accepted form of meditation used in the Western countries and by many modern practitioners all around the world. The roots of power of living in the now technique have also generated from the ancient texts. It is seen that many modern gurus propagate the message of power of now as if it is originated, developed and thought about only by them, but it is not so. The power of now has been in usage for a long time. In the modern times there has certainly been revival of the concept with a new way of presentation and new and more stylish modes of propagation but the basic concept remains very simple and very interesting.

The main point of the power of living in the now is that it is something that all of us have experienced in our day to day lives. We come across situations that give us immense pleasure in our daily lives. These are generally not very big experiences. They are in fact very small experiences that we come across all without our knowledge and planning. These are moments that happen and all of a sudden engross our complete attention. These are simple incidents like a moment when one notices a beautiful bird chirping in one’s garden, or a beautiful flower in full bloom. When in a moment with friends and acquaintances, one experiences complete involvement in the moment by enjoying the moment to the fullest. One may have a hearty laugh on a joke, or be involved ion a story that someone may be telling. When one stops for a moment and watches something beautiful as a painting, or any natural scene, or watch a film or listen to piece of music. These are the moments we are talking about. These are moments that have been snatched from their busy daily schedules. These moments normally keep happening all around us everywhere, all the time. We absorb ourselves in them only on the moments that we choose to stop and look at them.

These moments give tremendous pleasure to the whole mind and the best part is that we realize that our body also feels relaxed and invigorated after experiencing such moments. It is an oft repeated dictum that ‘laughter is the best medicine’, but the healing power of the laughter comes from the power of now. This is the state of mind when the mind is completely involved in the moment that is happening. The person is not involved in any way in the past or the future. He is completely engrossed in the moment at hand. All his senses are involved in the moment. For most people this is an experience that happens without any knowledge and awareness. It is also very momentary and the experience ends even before the person is finally able to realize it and make full use of it. But one thing is very certain that every person is capable of experiencing this fact, even if it is for just a few moments. This is the state of the mind that is very often referred to as being in the now.

If we analyse the feelings that go behind this feeling of now we would realize that the emotions that are experienced during these moments when a person if fully absorbed in the ‘now’ are of great elation. The person feels an enlivening state of mind which experiences nothing else except complete happiness. The after thoughts experienced soon after the moment is over are full of a state of exhilaration. The feeling diminishes after a couple of moments. Through the meditation exercises of power of now, a simple thing of prolonging the duration of this state of mind is done.

This is the state of the mind where the person is completely engrossed in the moment and experiences and loses all sense of the time. In this state the mind and body experience a sense of energy flow which is incomparable. This is the final state of achievement we are aiming for while meditating. There is tremendous burst of tranquillity that is experienced in this state of the mind. This is an energized state of mind that is immensely tranquil and relaxing. The mind and the body experience a feeling of total happiness and lack of any desires in this state of mind.

This is important to understand because in the normal state of affairs everyone keeps following some desires passionately. The normal pattern of thinking is such that the attainment of these desires is the ultimate state of happiness. But if we try to recall any such moment where we have experienced the state of exhilaration of the mind described earlier, it would become very clear that we actually experience true happiness in that tranquil state of mind when we are completely at peace with all desires. This is a state where the mind is free of any other thought except the moment that is the present, happening now.

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