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The Present is Full of Possibility

Your entire life, you’ve likely been taught this all wrong.

It’s okay — I fell for it too.


There’s a saying I’m sure you’ve heard. Maybe you’ve even lived by it for a while:

“The future is full of possibilities.”


I used to think this gave me hope — that it propelled me forward. But during a recent silent retreat, I sat with this phrase in stillness, and something shifted.


When I really listened to how it landed in my body, I noticed something surprising…

It didn’t feel like hope. It felt like pressure. It felt like grasping. It felt like not enough — like the present moment was just a stepping stone to somewhere else.


That’s the thing about placing all your hope in the future: you end up chasing a place you can never actually reach. And the past? You can’t go back there either.


The only place we can truly be — the only place that exists — is right here.


So, let’s try this again:

The present is full of possibility.

Now when I say that, something in me softens.

My heart expands.

My mind quiets.

I feel clarity. Ease. Real  hope.


Because in this moment — in every breath, every thought, every action — I’m shaping my life.

I don’t need to wait for anything.

I’m already here.


The past is unchangeable.

The future is unknowable.

But this moment? This one is ours.


And if we can teach ourselves to truly be here — with acceptance, with awareness — peace arrives.


So I invite you to pause.

To remind yourself what a gift it is to simply be here.

How sacred this moment is.

How you don’t need to be anywhere else but now.


It will take practice.

Unfortunately, I can't give you a date on the calendar for when it will all click.

But along the way, there will be subtle shifts within you… and eventually around you.


To help you begin this journey of presence, here are 3 simple and powerful practices you can start incorporating right now to anchor yourself more fully in the present moment.



3 Practices to Anchor into The Present Moment:


1. Count Your Breath: Set a timer for 5–20 minutes. Count every single breath — inhale 1, exhale 1… inhale 2, exhale 2… Don’t miss one. Let this be your only task.


Why it works: This simple yet powerful practice is rooted in pranayama, the yogic science of breath control. In yogic philosophy, the breath is considered the bridge between the body and the mind — and when we steady the breath, we steady the mind. By counting each inhale and exhale, you train the mind to stay present. It's like giving your mind a mantra to hold. This practice increases focus, reduces anxiety, and brings you into direct relationship with the here and now.

Yoga Sutra 1.2: Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah — Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind.
The breath becomes your anchor to stillness.


2. Take a Mindful Walk in Nature: No phone. No distractions. Just you and the earth. Listen to your breath, observe your surroundings, and watch your thoughts pass like clouds in the sky.


Why it works: In Ayurveda, spending time in nature — especially among the trees, fresh air, and natural sunlight — is considered essential for balancing the doshas and calming the nervous system. Walking in nature connects us to the element of vata (air/space), which governs movement, thought, and energy. When balanced, it supports creativity, clarity, and lightness. This is not just about walking — it’s about being present to life around you. Feel your feet on the ground. Hear the birdsong. Let the breeze touch your skin. These simple observations bring you into intimate contact with the present moment.

Ayurvedic wisdom teaches: “The body is made of the same five elements as nature — when we return to nature, we return to ourselves.”
Let this be your medicine: to walk slowly, breathe deeply, and remember — you are nature, returning to itself.


3. Yoga on the Mat: Instead of recreating a “great” practice from the past or hoping for a “better” one in the future, can you be with exactly who, where, and how you are right now? Can you meet reality as it is, with nothing to fix or change?

Why it works: Asana (posture) is not about performance — it’s about presence. Yoga invites us to meet ourselves fully in the moment, not just physically but emotionally, energetically, and mentally. According to yoga philosophy, each posture is an opportunity to take a seat in life — to embody sthira sukham asanam (Yoga Sutra 2.46) — a posture that is steady and easeful. When we practice from this place, we learn to release attachment to outcome, comparison, or judgment. Instead, we arrive. As we are. And that is where the real yoga begins.

"Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break, and in all earnestness." — Yoga Sutra 1.14
Let this be your devotion: to show up fully, now.


Presence is a practice — one that deepens with time, intention, and support. These simple tools are a place to begin, a way to remember that everything you need is already here. And if you’re craving deeper guidance, my retreats and coaching are here to support your journey back to yourself.


Much love,


Carole the freespiritedwanderer


CONTACT / MORE INFO:

IG: fsw_empire

 
 
 
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