4 Things You Can Do Right Now To Instantly Improve Your Life

Originally Posted: Sunday, December 4, 2005

Nothing is about to happen that deserves more of your attention than the practice of attending, breathing, relaxing and allowing, all at once, here and now, in this moment. To do otherwise is suffering.

After almost 15 years of exploration it is my opinion that attention deficit is the dis-ease of our modern times, and nearly everyone has it. Attention, when not actively and energetically engaged in our experience, becomes lost in mental activity. Thoughts, opinions, stories, judgments, negativity, dramas, distortions, fantasies, ... You live a Life of self inflicted suffering, caused by an attention that is mesmerized by dream-activity. Stuck in a waking-dream in the mind, worse-case scenario you watch a non-stop horror/drama/tragic dream, suffer because you believe it is real, and miss the experience of your real and true Life in favor of dream-activity. Best-case scenario you watch a happy dream and feel good because the dream is good, but still miss the experience of your real and true Life in favor of dream-activity. When attention is lost in dream-activity, you suffer dis-ease such as anxiety, stress, negativity, regret, worry, confusion, misperception, misinterpretation, etc.

The words 'Abra Cadabra' were once used to ward off or cure dis-ease. You will use the word A.B.R.A. to ward off the dis-ease caused by having your attention lost in dream activity. The letters of the word ABRA will remind you of Attention Breathing Relaxing Allowing.

1. 'A' stands for Attention: where is your attention? If your attention is lost in mental activity or thought, you are probably suffering. If your thoughts are about the imagined future, you are missing the real here and now. You are missing your real and true Life. If your thoughts are about the future it's called imagination and it is not real. If your thoughts are about the future you may feel fear or anxiety about something that may or may not ever happen. You are suffering because your body is responding to an imaginary future that does not exist and therefore cannot be managed, changed or experienced.

Thoughts are often about the past. If your thoughts are about the past, you are missing the here and now. You are missing your real and true Life. If your thoughts are about the past it's called memory and it is not real. If your thoughts are about the past you may be feeling guilt or regret about something that is already done and dead. You are suffering because your body is responding emotionally to a mental memory of a past that does not exist and therefore cannot be managed or changed.

Practice attending to the here and now by paying attention to your whole body all at once and breathing here and now.

2. 'B' stands for Breathing: how is your breathing? If your attention is lost in thought and you are suffering, you are probably not breathing correctly. You are probably breathing shallowly or barely at all. When attention is lost in thought, you often hold your breath because the fantasies or memories you are having cause you fear and anxiety or guilt and regret. If you are breathing shallowly or barely at all you are adding to your suffering.

Practice breathing through your nose, into your belly, slowly and evenly until the belly is full and the ribs lift slightly. Hold briefly and let go, breathing out through your nose slowly and evenly. Continue in a rhythmic manner, and relax.

3. 'R' stands for Relaxing: are you relaxed? If your attention is lost in thought you are probably also tensing your body. You are probably contracting your muscles and are unaware of it. When attention is lost in thought, you often tense your body because the fantasies or memories you are having cause you fear and anxiety or guilt and shame. If you are tensing your body you are adding to your suffering.

Practice relaxing your body by noticing the tension. Flood your whole body with attention, let go, and relax your body all at once. Just allow your body to relax.

4. 'A' stands for Allowing: are you allowing or resisting? If your attention is lost in thought you are probably also resisting the reality of this moment here and now. You are probably creating resistance in the form of negative thought towards the present moment. You are fighting a losing battle. If you are resisting this moment, you can never ever win. Resistance is futile. Why? Because this moment already IS happening as it is, and to say 'no' to this moment is absolutely useless.

Practice saying 'yes' to this moment and allow it be however it is. Say 'yes' to this moment and allow it be however it is, because it already IS as it is, and resistance is futile. Say and feel 'yes'. To do otherwise is suffering.

ABRA means: noticing where attention is, and placing it on the body and the breath here and now.
noticing how breathing is, then breathing slowly and deeply.
noticing how the body is, then releasing and relaxing the body.
noticing the feeling of resistance or 'no', then simply allowing a feeling of 'yes'.
noticing the patterns of thinking, breathing, tensing and resisting, allowing it to be otherwise.

ABRA reminds us to pay Attention to the present moment, breathing, relaxing, and allowing the moment to be as it is, because it already IS as it is. Practice attending to the here and now, breathing deeply and fully, relaxing your body and allowing this moment to be as it is. Right now.

Practice attending, breathing, relaxing and allowing, all at once, here and now, in this moment, and this, and this, and this and ... Nothing is about to happen that deserves your attention more.