Isn’t that an interesting question?

I read it this morning at the lovely Val Boyko’s site, Find Your Middle Ground. The question comes from a story by Jonathon Foust, which Val shares this morning.

A big element of mindfulness, writes Jonathon, is a form of self-diagnosis. You can ask yourself a variation of two questions:

What is happening right now?

How does this moment want me to be with it right now?

Think about the questions. The first one doesn’t ask — What is happening TO ME right now,  it remains non-judgemental.

The second question isn’t How do I want to be in this moment right now. It’s a more open invitation to be present in the moment through a gentle inquiry into how the moment wants you to be with it.

Imagine if throughout the day, whenever we find ourselves feeling anxious or unsettled, or like the ennui of living is too much to grasp, we stopped, took a breath and asked, “What is happening right now?” and then we listened to the response.

And once we hear it within, we ask “How does this moment want/call/invite me to be with ‘this’ right now?”

Think about what that would feel like for you the next time someone cuts you off in traffic and you immediately leap to anger and a not very charitable response. Imagine if instead of simply getting all self-righteous about how dare they! you stopped, took a breath and asked, “What is happening right now?” Suddenly, the emphasis isn’t about ‘that awful driver’, it’s about your response, how you are being present within what is happening – and the happening isn’t about being cut off, it’s about your rising blood pressure and anger.

If your intent at the start of each day is to be present, mindful and balanced throughout your day, I’m pretty sure ‘the moment’ is not going to say, “Hey!! Get all hot and bothered about this inconsequential event. Fill this moment with curses and raised fists and really make it a hot one!”

More likely, the moment will reply from the middle ground, to: Breathe and Be. Breathe and Be.

I invite you to take a few moments to read Jonathan’s story at Find Your Middle Ground and ask yourself, “How does this moment (story) want me to be with it right now?”