Presence, Not Progress

In our daily lives, we are pushed to get things done. We multi-task, we rush, we value progress over presence. This meditation calls us to our center, inviting us to ground and go in, to be present to what is, so we can live light and shine.

Transcript

When you go to a different country,

You do things differently.

Here in Japan,

That means I look left instead of right for oncoming cars.

I use chopsticks instead of forks.

I bow instead of shaking hands.

But there've been some other differences here that have surprised me.

For instance,

I can't stream my favorite shows here,

And I didn't realize how often I watch something back home,

Especially when I'm eating.

Now,

When I eat,

I eat.

And that means I am present for the depth and mystery of umami.

Or,

I really taste the sweet juice in a cool peach on a hot day.

There's been another difference.

I went into an antique store a couple of days ago.

I was looking around for a mug for my coffee,

And as I strolled through the store very carefully,

Because I didn't want to break anything,

I ended up in the back corner,

And I saw these beautiful,

Incredible things that look like bowls.

The old woman behind the register told me it was tea bowls for tea ceremonies.

And I looked through them,

And there were some that were so fine and fancy,

But then my eyes locked on a tea bowl that was simple,

Rustic.

I reached out and grabbed it carefully,

And as soon as I did so,

A beautiful jolt of energy went up and into my body.

As I held the bowl,

I thought of all it had seen,

The quiet tea ceremonies in tatami rooms,

And I thought of what its life would be like back in Minnesota.

I literally,

In my mind,

Asked the bowl if it wanted to go home with me,

Because it sure felt like my hands were never going to let it go.

And indeed,

The bowl,

In whatever way it could,

Told me,

Yes,

I want to be with you and go with you.

And so I bought the bowl,

And I brought it back to my apartment,

And at first I filled it with water.

And as soon as I did so,

I realized I was not going to be able to drink water in the same way.

It would not be a mindless thing I did while I was trying to manage 16 other things.

No.

I needed to be fully present.

I had to use both of my hands to cradle the beautiful bowl.

And the water,

Even though it was just Tokyo City water,

I don't know if I've ever tasted water any sweeter.

And maybe it's the energy of the bowl,

Maybe it's the beauty of this place,

Maybe I am just filled with wonder by all the differences that I see.

And I think it is the act of attention,

Of doing one thing.

When we can do that,

When we slow down and be fully present in what we are doing,

We receive the beautiful gifts of good energy,

Surprise,

Wonder,

Delight,

And we find what it is like to be present,

Grounded,

Centered.

And I don't think we have to have a magic bowl to make this happen.

It comes with our attention and intention.

When I walk in a park here,

There's a building,

A high skyscraper called And Here.

And it becomes this beautiful mantra to help us with that act of presence.

Be here,

And here,

And here.

Present,

Attentive,

Open for whatever's next.

Live,

Light,

And shine.

Reviews

Betsy thank you for sharing your lovely story. 🙏 You explain things so well.

This was very pleasant and beautiful and helpful 😊 thank you so much 😊

Mindful. 2020 Lesson. A lovely travel Buddy a Tea Bowl. Namaste

You do sound very present Betsy - it is good to hear you so calm. Thank you for sharing it with us xx

Much love to you Betsy! I’ve never laughed so hard while listening to a track on Insight Timer. Thank you very much! I was taking a break from my cleaning routine, and thought I’d play a game on my phone and listen to your talk. I cracked up and put my phone down to give your words my full attention. (Chuckled a lot). Such beautiful words. Thanks and love to you.

Drinking java from my favorite mug, and being present..
Hugz my buddy...

Thank you dearly.
Present is where happy resides. I felt my presence through your words.🙏🏾
Namaste

Thank you so much for the inspiration to cherish moments that we otherwise would have missed 🙏🏻

I listened to this sitting in my husband's van at a tacky seaside town listening to the gulls screaming to the rising sun and I was fully present 🙏❤️✨️

two of my favorite words: intention and attention. i love this meditation and will listen to it again and again. thank you. safe and happy travels. 🤲🏽

Being present is so important and sometimes so hard. A wonderful reminder, and one I will need to come back to again. Thank you. ✌️🧘‍♂️🕉🪷

What a beautiful story and meditation. I am in love with Japan through you. Thank you so very much ~

So beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing that experience with me and others.
Listening to your experience i had tears in my eyes as it brought me back years ago. as a ceramic student. The intimate process of working with the clay through its different stages. From kneading and building it to finding that special place in the kiln for it. And then sending it on its journey.
Thank you

Dear Betsy, thank you so much for this wonderful reminder to be present! Best of luck in Japan, sweet soul!! 🙏🏻🪷🕊️💖💖💖

What a beautiful reminder to return to the present. Your voice anchored my attention. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

This is so Beautiful! Many thanks for sharing your journey and your wisdom. Blessings to lovely you and to your lovely tea bowl 🙏 ♥

This meditation is so relevant for the way many people live their lives. So many must have their almighty phone always in sight. My family must put our phones in another room during meals and have set times for sharing our days and take time to listen and focus on each other. During these times I am so happy knowing that someone is really listening to me. Thanks for sharing this meditation.🦋