People are constantly exploring various methods to manage stress and feel happier and peaceful in their day to day life. This can be achieved very easily if one can remain more present in his daily life.
Meditation and mindfulness have been found to be beneficial to cultivate more presence in our daily life. One can achieve this condition, only by addressing the main obstacle to remain more present which is our own thought. To become more present and centered in oneself, one has to understand the mind and its working. Let us try to understand how one can control the formation of thoughts in him and remain more active at the present moment.
- Start from the source
Any thought in a human being arises from the input he receives through his senses which are processed with ego, intellect and the subconscious. A person who wants to control his mind has to minimize his sensory inputs. He must also learn to ignore the unnecessary inputs. One cannot shut his sensory inputs. But he can train himself not to be more influenced by sensory communications. He can also keep himself less interested in sensory pleasures.
- Move past your limitations
One has to study how to overcome his ego and intellect. First get rid of your ego. Try to remain detached from your ideas about yourself as well as others. Try to keep an open mind towards new concepts and thoughts. Learning to neglect the intellect means knowing the limitations of it. Intellect can identify only what it knows already. It cannot understand or analyze anything that it does not know already. So try to be more connected to the present moment. And try not to analyze anything based on what you know already.
- Take it slow
It is not necessary that one has to master this technique completely to bring out changes in his life and attitude. Knowing these principles and willing to apply these concepts whole-heartedly will help him to progress substantially. The key to staying at present is taking it slowly.
- Apply the practices
It is necessary to practice meditation and pratyahara. Pratyahara is limiting the sensory input to get control over your mind. Just like in a computer, the thoughts produced by the sensory inputs will help you to remove distractions if you have sufficiently practiced pratyahara. Meditation is good for helping you to stay detached from ego, subconscious and intellect.
- Stay mindful
Meditation can be easily practiced by staying concentrated on any one object. When you feel distracted during this practice, bring back your mind and try again to concentrate on the object (For example your breath) you were concentrating earlier. As you continue practicing this meditation you will begin to understand that your thoughts are not yours. You can select which thoughts are to be entertained and which are to be neglected.