Practice Being Present

As I mentioned before, I have undertaken a campaign to read as many of the current books on 2012 as I can. One thing I've noticed: while the writers disagree on exactly what is going to happen and on what level of being, they all agree that something big will happen on or around 2012. Whether it's major changes on the planet itself, or 'merely' changes within human consciousness, something is coming.

What they also have is common is not giving any strategy as to deal with these changes.

Some say doomsday, some say heaven on earth or elsewhere.

All well and good. I don't know about you, but 'big changes' of any sort tend to 'freak me out' just a little. What? Where? When? Is it the Rapture? Am I going? Etc. etc. Our tendency as humans is to start wondering and worrying. Should I bother to pay my income tax?

I have been thinking about 'the end of the world' all my life. I dreamt about it constantly as a child and expected it to occur in my lifetime. I was one of those kids who went through nuclear attack drills. Hiding under the desk, come on. I also expected contact with beings from other planes, planets, dimensions.

Having grown up a Catholic, I was taught that the Virgin Mary had appeared to shepherd children in Fatima with three letters. The last and final one was to be opened on what just happened to be my 12th birthday, in 1960. I heard about this when I was 7, so I had a few years to think about it. The night before my birthday, I went to bed with my rosary expecting not to see another day. Imagine my surprise when everything went on 'as normal'. After awhile, I wondered if somehow I had heard wrong. If my child mind had imagined it. It was many years before I met another person who had heard the same thing and anticipated the same event just as I had.

There have been other situations throughout my life. I have always felt I was preparing or waiting for 'the end of the world'. Thus I have developed several methods of both preparing for it and dealing with the fear or stress involved.

According to many, we are already in the conjunction to the Galactic Center and whatever is going to happen, is already happening. Look around you and pay attention. What is happening?

1. The Economy as we have known it - is collapsing.
2. Organized religions have so distorted the message of their original Messengers, that people committing crimes in the name of religion.
3. There are no guarantees.
4. There is no such thing as security.
5. All the 'knowns' and 'givens' are vanishing.
6. Rapid and constant changes are occurring.
7. Weather patterns are changing and beginning to affect all aspects of life.
8. Things seem to be 'falling apart'.

Whoopee, I'm excited. Oh yeah? More like - Yikes! Now what?

I will start writing about some of the things that I have found to help. I would love to have your ideas and feedback.

Among the current 'beliefs' is that we create our reality. I believe we create with our thoughts and our emotions. Thus, what we are feeling, in relation to both the changes that are occurring and those that will come, is extremely important. Living in fear and dread is not healthy, nor will it bring about the most positive outcome possible. It is not helpful to feel guilty about not being able to be positive either. You feel what you feel. But often our feelings are based on things we imagine to be true, not what is actually happening.

One very strong pain-killer on the market functions well because it breaks the relationship to time. It puts you into present time. Now this is great if you have chronic pain, because you are neither remembering all the pain you have been in for the last several hours, days, weeks, month etc., nor are you anticipating continuous pain. You only feel the pain of the moment. Ah ha! A strategy for dealing with fear. No, not taking this medication. Rather, learning to stay in present time.

One of the things that will happen for sure on December 21, 2012 is the end of a 5125 year cycle in the Mayan Calendar. Mayan scholars say it is a cycle within huger cycles. Kind of like the end of a 1000 year cycle in our calendar. Yes, they have caused turmoil in people's minds in the past, but the world did not end.

Some say, that the concept of 'Time' itself will end. That we will all live in the eternal present. Sounds like Nirvana!

Start now. Practice being present. Hmmm.... Haven't the Buddhists been teaching this for centuries? YES! Exactly. All the religions of the world contain kernels of TRUTH. Aside from the politics that have crept in, religions were usually brought by enlightened Masters, Messengers, Angelic communication, etc. and contain methods for improving LIFE here and now and the hereafter if there is one. Learning to be present is one major strategy for improving your life right here, right now. It can't hurt you. Why not try it?

When you find yourself falling into fear about what might happen, change your focus on what is actually true right now in the moment. Experience and feel what you have right now, not what you lack. Try to see how your perspective on whatever is happening in the present has to do with your attitude. See the glass half full rather than the glass half empty. Have gratitude for what you have. As you are able to do this, your experience of the moment seems to expand and fill your mind, leaving less or no room for the negative thoughts. Practice this constantly throughout the day in different circumstances until it becomes second nature. Here is a guarantee. To the extent that you can stay in present time, your life will get better right here, right now. And... folks, that's all we've got.
Love and blessings.