We have talked previously of automatic pilot, which we can spend up to 46% of our time stuck in & of our innate negativity bias.

But did you know that we also spend approximately 50% of our time ruminating on the past or worrying about the future? Couple this with the time spent in automatic pilot there’s not a lot of time left for the only moment that really matters, the present moment, right here right now.

Many of us ruminate on past events but there is little point – the past has already gone we can’t change it. Similarly, obsessing about & trying to control the future is also as pointless. A certain degree of planning for future events such a big meeting is certainly beneficial. But how often have you churned over an important meeting going over every detail only to attend the meeting & for it to not go exactly as you planned it? I would hazard a guess at more often than not.

Something else to consider. Our brain is a product of our past experiences. These experiences also create emotions. If you experience a highly charged emotional event, good or bad, that moment becomes neurologically embossed into your brain as a memory. If you continually obsess about a certain event this hard wires your brain for the same patterns. By obsessing about the past you are in effect hard-wiring your future for the similar circumstances that produce the same emotions that you have already experienced.

Energy flows where your attention goes, so if you are continually ruminating on past event, your energy is in the past. If you then start obsessing about all the things you have to do & people you have to see, you are directing your attention & energy into a predictable known future that is based on your past. You are continuously keeping your life the same by keeping your attention (thoughts) & energy (feelings) the same.

This is why learning to be present in the here & now is so important. If we are constantly distracted by the past or obsessing about the future, we are directing our creative energy away to the outer world, leaving little energy for our inner world to create new something new in your life. And you will keep repeating the same patterns.

But by turning inwards, staying present, then we really have the potential to create, heal, grow & take action & that’s where our true power lies. Meditation allows us to take our attention away from all that’s going on in our outer world & turn inwards to change our internal state, which is where true healing occurs. Bringing your attention inwards as you stay grounded in the present moment, free from the constraints of your past & limitations of a future that is determined by past events & emotions, builds the energy you have available to create something new. And this is where the magic happens!

This week’s meditation is a past & future meditation – a visualisation, this meditation gives us the opportunity to release our past & our future & enjoy the liberation of being grounded in the present moment. To obtain your copy email Alex at alex@alexbannard.com quoting FROSTP&F.

Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for almost a decade, not just in the UK but also around the world. Her mission is to help everyone discover a more mindful way of living & to encourage them to embrace regular self-care practices for a happier & healthier way of being.

If you would like more information on how to practice mindfulness, meditation & yoga message her at alex@alexbannard.com.

For free resources check out her Facebook group: Mindfulness & Yoga for Self-Care, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MindfulnessYoga4Relationships

Alternatively please check out her website: alexbannard.com