If you’re asking yourself
if you are present in the moment,
then you’re not present in the moment.
You are looking at the moment
like an accomplishment.
An achievement.
Going deeper.
Further.
Closer.
More mindfully.
Fact is, you’re in the moment
most of the time.
Practically ALL of the time.
Except when you’re asking.
Trail Wood,
10/26
The Irony of Mindful Inquiry
Indeed, the act of questioning one’s presence in the moment paradoxically removes one from it. It’s as though the mind’s spotlight, while seeking to illuminate the state of being present, instead casts a shadow of doubt and self-awareness that obscures the pure experience. It’s a whimsi-paradox: In seeking to achieve mindfulness, we manifest its opposite—mindfulness becomes yet another item on an endless list of achievements to unlock.
The Elusive Chase of Mindfulness
This elusive chase of mindfulness as an accomplishment disrupts the natural state of simply being. In a way, it’s like trying to catch hold of water by grasping it; the more we try to seize it, the more it slips away. It’s the classic Zen riddle—by aiming to attain it, we automatically defer its realization.
Being versus Achieving: The Unnecessary Dichotomy
In a realm framed by nexistentialism, the need to ‘achieve’ mindfulness seems almost contrary to the basic tenet of existence for the sake of existence. Mindfulness, or being present, is not a trophy to be won but rather a natural state to be acknowledged. When we view it as something to be achieved, we impose upon it an artificial framework of success and failure, pulling ourselves further from the essence of simply being.
Ever-Present, Even in Inquiry
However, there’s also an inherent playfulness in this whimsi-paradox. While questioning our presence may seem to pull us out of the moment, isn’t the act of questioning also a part of being present? Perhaps, even in the act of asking, “Am I present?” we are, in fact, engaging with the moment, albeit in a somewhat convoluted manner.
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
We discuss the inherent contradiction in trying to be mindful through conscious effort. When being present is viewed as an accomplishment, it escapes us, becoming another achievement to pursue. This conflicts with nexistentialism’s focus on existence for its own sake, free from external validations or goals. However, we also touch on the playful aspect of this contradiction; even in questioning our state of being, we are participating in the moment in some form.
Glossarium
- Whimsi-paradox: The playful contradiction that arises when seeking mindfulness as an achievement.
- Natural State: The essence of simply being, without the need for external validation or accomplishment.
- Artificial Framework: Imposing a structure of success and failure on something inherently unstructured.
- Ever-Present: The state of being constantly in the moment, even when questioning it.
“To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.”
— Pema Chödrön
Questioning the Unquestionable
In the labyrinth of thoughts, a question unfurls,
“Am I here, am I not?”—a whimsi-paradox swirls.
Yet even in the asking, aren’t we touching life’s hem?
In the act of doubting, we are present once again.
Your thoughts?
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