What does it feel like?
To be mentally present.
Well,
I'm sitting out in my garden,
So you might hear some birds.
Noises all around me.
It's a little breezy and there's a big tree behind me.
And I'm eating a beautiful lunch.
Of sliced avocado.
With snipped lemon rind on it from a gorgeous Meyer lemon.
I have a crushed peach.
That is.
From the farmer's market.
And I have those sliced up.
With snippets.
Of fresh mint from my garden.
And I have a garden fresh tomato.
With little leaves of.
.
.
Lemon thyme.
It's a beautiful,
Beautiful summer day.
Here in San Francisco.
Where August is not always beautiful.
It can be often foggy and cold.
So I am absolutely enjoying sitting out in my garden.
With my food on a table in front of me.
Enjoying my lunch.
As I took a mouthful of avocado.
With those luscious snipped lemon rinds.
My mind started to wander.
About.
Some work-related thing.
And for a couple of bites.
I was mentally checked out.
All of a sudden,
I looked down on my plate.
And have of the avocado was gone.
Oh,
I'm sad because I was really looking forward to this avocado.
And what does it look like to be mentally checked out?
What does it feel like?
It feels like part of you is on autopilot.
Maybe I'm driving some time.
And all of a sudden I look around.
And I see the trees.
Gently laced with fog.
And I notice.
How gorgeous they are.
And I realize I have been driving in those beautiful trees for five minutes.
And I didn't notice.
For me mentally checked out.
It's like my brain is going and trying on other thoughts.
And then doing this.
I completely forget what I'm actually doing.
Back to my lodge.
I look down at my summer peaches.
And I think.
.
.
I need to store away the crispiness.
Feeling of sweet earth.
Of peach.
I need to store this away for the chill of winter when there are no peaches.
I need.
To put this in my memory.
As I sit here right now on this beautiful summer day with the sun streaming down.
And I need to put this in my mind.
And become aware of this moment.
There's a saying I love very,
Very much.
Be here now.
Recently,
I had a wonderful massage.
At a place that I.
.
.
Only get to go to once a year.
I had made the appointment four weeks ahead of time.
As it was in the middle of my vacation.
And He is often too busy to accommodate me once I get on vacation and then call.
So for four weeks I was waiting for,
Anticipating,
Looking forward to,
This massage.
And while I was there on the table in the beautiful room,
Quiet with lovely scents all around it,
Feeling his hands kneading out muscles that hurt and were knotted up.
From life and work.
And exercise.
As I was laying there,
My mind started galloping away.
With other thoughts.
And as my mind galloped away,
I realized I was no longer participating in the enjoyment.
And my favorite saying came back to me then.
Be here now.
I've listened to many meditations here on Insight Timer.
And I know that it's absolutely necessary.
To stay here in this present moment.
To stay here.
And savor the moment.
That I'm feeling now.
Just like sitting here in my beautiful garden with the sun beating down on me.
And a gentle breeze.
Making all the beautiful lush green August leaves.
Dance with the gentle breeze.
As I'm sitting here with the lemon tree over there by the fence,
Just laden with and so sunny yellow.
As I sit here with my rosemary plant.
Just so deep green.
And having the most fragrant prawns.
As I sit here with these gorgeous orange flowers next to me that I think the birds planted.
They're volunteers for sure.
And they're adorable.
With their beautiful little tiny orange heads at the end of a long stalk.
And their green,
Wispy leaves just gently blowing in the wind.
As I sit here in this beautiful day,
This beautiful day of August.
Enjoying the sun,
The breeze.
The jasmine flowers,
The hummingbirds,
The butterflies.
I am so grateful to bring myself back to this moment.
So I can be fully present.
And taste.
Every morsel.
Every velvety bite of the avocado.
Every sharp sliver of lemon.
Every succulent sweetness.
Of the peach.
I am here now.
And now I am mentally present.
Do you know what it's like to mentally check out?
Do you ever find yourself doing that?
Maybe on a tribe that you take all the time?
Maybe the drive to work.
Or the walk to the barista.
Or when you're out walking the dog for the 800th time that month.
Do you mentally check out?
I know it's easy to do.
I know we have other things to think about.
But if you and I can string together.
From ripe,
Full moments of pleasure and being here now,
If we can string enough of those together,
We can have a glorious day.
And if we continue to string those together,
We can have a glorious life.
And when the winter comes,
And the trouble comes,
And the things that just come that are not the fun ones,
The fun things,
When those things come,
We can say,
I know This too shall pass.
Just like this beautiful day will pass.
And lead into fall and winter.
Just like your troubles will pass.
And lead into better times.
But be here now.
Can you do that?
Let me know in the comments.
What your comeback to this moment mantra might be.
Hope you have a great day.
Sorry for the outdoor noises here.
Where I am in sunny San Francisco.
We have nicknamed August.
August.
Because it's usually so chilly and foggy.
And here I am out.
In nearly 70 degree weather.
On a gorgeous day.
Come back soon and visit me.
This is Jackie.
Thank you for listening.
