There’s No Time Like the Present
Breathe into the infinite present moment with this visualization and writing practice
“The present moment is the only thing where there is no time. It is the point between past and future. It is always there and it is the only point we can access in time. Everything that happens, happens in the present moment.”
Myrko Thum
Lately I’ve been feeling a little anxious about time. I’ve had a constant, nagging sensation that I have to hurry because time is running out. It’s an uncomfortable and unpleasant feeling that has had quite the opposite effect; instead of making me more focused and productive, it has slowed me down considerably and I’m far less creative.
So what did I do when this anxiety about time started happening? I sought out some coaching to figure out my thoughts and what was going on.
With expert coaching, it wasn’t long before we figured out that this sense of time urgency was due to my recent birthday and the realization that I was a mere two years away from the age my mother was when she died. In the distorted thoughts in my mind, this meant I only had two years left. What???
For a short time, this realization was a huge relief. I was able, temporarily, to rationally manage my thoughts.
Then I started to get really busy with work and projects and my mind served up the buffet of irrational thoughts again (that’s what our mind likes to do). I did some self-coaching and received some coaching.
An “ah ha” moment arrived when my coach and I examined the thought, “I’m running out of time” using The Work by Byron Katie. I was challenged to come up with evidence for the turnaround that “I’m not running out of time”. That was really hard because my brain solidly believed that I definitely was.
My brilliant coach was very patient and kept me in a meditative state while I painstakingly tried to come up with examples. As I sat there breathing with my eyes closed I suddenly had the image of a vast sky and I saw the infinity symbol. I remembered my mindfulness training and realized that time consists of now, just the present moment and the “nows” just keep going on and on into infinity. Time is endless; time exists only right now.
I visualized the infinity sign:
and watched my breath as my mind traced the symbol. I became very calm.
Breathing while thinking about the concept of time as infinite reduced my anxiety until I felt completely calm. I found myself doodling the infinity symbol (a sideways number 8) in my journal, over and over again. I doodled and coloured and wrote some words around the doodling, a process that I’ve used before that I call noodling, moodling and doodling.
I connected my breath with a visualization and my pen on the page. It was that simple and that powerful. I call it the Breathe and Write into Infinity practice.
The next time you’re feeling anxious about not having enough time, I encourage you to give it a try. It will bring you back into the present moment, the only moment where time really exists.
Breathe and Write into Infinity
Make sure your journal or notebook and something to write with is nearby. You may also want other creative supplies like markers and pencil crayons to add colour.
Get comfortable in your chair, close your eyes or lower your gaze, and connect with your breath.
Try to lengthen your inhales and exhales and, as you are breathing, begin to visualize the continuous infinity loop. See it in your mind and feel it in your breath. Watch your breath go around the loop (I like to visualize this breath making a shape around my heart).
Feel your breathing become deeper and slower.
If it feels comfortable, keep you eyes closed and pick up your pen/pencil and start drawing the infinity loop on the blank page in front of you. If you need to open your eyes, keep your gaze soft and meditative.
Keep moving your pen/pencil around the paper, making the shape in different directions and different sizes. Add colour and words if you wish. Words may include how you’re feeling, “time is infinite” or any other words that come into your mind. Let your imagination go!
Try and draw for at least a couple of minutes, and even more if it feels right.
When you’re finished, notice how you’re feeling. Do you feel calmer? How was that experience?
There’s no time like the present. :)
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I’d love to hear from you so please send any comments or questions to me at sharon@sharonashtonmindfulyoga.com. Feel free to share this email with anyone else who may be interested.
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What is stopping you from living your best life? Get out your journal and a pen and take the new quiz on my website to find out:
Are you interested in learning more about life change & mindset coaching from a mind/body perspective? Please email me at sharon@sharonashtonmindfulyoga.com for more information or to schedule a free introductory consultation to see if coaching is right for you. You can also visit my website coaching page.
"I felt at complete ease with Sharon from our first conversation. She has a wonderful, gentle but firm way that made me focus on my thoughts / feelings so I could remove / change to move forward with a completely different feeling to what felt like obstacles. It was great having regular coaching that gently kept me accountable to actioning and moving towards my goals. Sharon has vast experience in so many areas, I felt that makes her an amazing coach.”
— Michelle Carney, East Galway, Ireland
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