I am confronted by

insurmountable opportunity.

Pogo Possum
TEST SLIDE
for sharply focusing projector
and adjusting the lighting of the room
for optimal viewing.
A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES
A World of
Possibilities
Almost
anything
is possible
if you believe it.
A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES
Skills for Creating Happiness
and Blessing Others
A World of Possibilities
1. Your Vision Map
2. Making the Growth Choice
3. The Way of Peace
4. Heart I ntelligence
5. The Freedom of Self-Discipline

A World of Possibilities
6. Embracing This Present Moment
7. Accepting and Loving Your Body
8. Healthy Relationships
9. Unleashing Your Creativity
10. Gifts of Gratitude and Blessing


Group Activity
In your opinion, who does a
better job of embracing the
present momenta typical
2-year-old child or the
average adult? And why?
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTION:
Module # 6 of 10
Embracing the
Present Moment

Whatever the present
moment contains, accept
it as if you had chosen it.
Always work with it, not against it.
Make it your friend and ally, not
your enemy. This will miraculously
transform your whole life.

Eckhart Tolle
The Target of Life
is a very helpful way to understand our
individual and collective well-being.
When youre centered in the
heart of the Target of Life, youre
at your best and life seems
brighter.
You see clearly and therefore
make optimal decisions.
You feel peaceful, loving,
energetic, and happy.
Youre in a good position to
handle just about anything.
However, when things happen
that go against our desires and
expectations, its easy to get
pulled off center.
We experience more fear and
negativity.
We say and do things we
regret.
The immune system weakens
and our productivity declines.
We lose touch with whats
really important to us.
Unhealthy stress increases and
our sensitivity toward others
decreases.
And the further away from the
center we move, the worse it
gets!
Thats why its so important to
catch early signs of stress, and to
use all of our creativity to stay as
centered as possible.
When we are centered in the
heart of the Target of Life,
difficulties still crop up, but we
can handle them much more
smoothly and effectively.
The more centered we are, the
greater our well-being, the wiser
our choices, and the more
effective we are in everything we
do.
Group Activity
What does being keenly present
in the moment have to do with
an electrifying performance
by a star basketball player
or watching a beautiful sunset?
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTION:
Embracing what is and living with
complete attention in the present moment
opens up all kinds of possibilities.
Its no wonder that great achievers,
philosophers, and spiritual teachers from
all traditions have sung the praises of
living in the joy of the timeless now.
For example, Emily Dickinson noted,
Forever is composed of nows.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus
encouraged his followers to give up
needless worry about the future and,
with faith, to live in all their natural
glory as do the birds in the air
and the lilies of the field.
He said to
take no thought for tomorrow
and to put your hands to the plow
without looking back,
giving full attention,
one day at a time,
to the challenges and
opportunities that arise.
Similarly, Buddha asserted,
The secret of health for both
mind and body is not to mourn for
the past, not to worry about the
future, not to anticipate troubles,
but to live the present moment
wisely and earnestly.
Of course,
the art of living in present time does
not preclude skillfully visiting the
past and future. Remembering
important lessons from the past is
vital; fond memories warm our
hearts; and having an eye to the
future is part of living wisely and
giving birth to our dreams.
Group Activity
How might being keenly aware
in the present moment
reduce work-related accidents
or enhance creativity?
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTION:
Most of us have a tendency to stray
into the past or the future. Often
our attention is only partially on the
person we are communicating with
or on the task at hand.
In failing to be fully present,
we miss much of lifes richness
and limit our effectiveness,
our happiness, and our
ability to give to others.
If your spirit needlessly
wanders into the future or
gets stuck in a past event,
call it back to present time!
If youre like most of us, you
may need to do this again
and again each day.
At the root of our
frustration is this:
The way things are is
different from what we
want or expect, and we
dont accept that fact.
Accepting what is
does not mean that things must
stay the same. In fact,
as you learn to accept the here
and now, you keep within
yourself all the energy
that you used to waste in
disappointment and frustration.
This means youre in a much
better position to change
what you can.
Lets assume theres a good
reason for all that happens to you,
that each event is designed to
feed your growth and happiness,
that everything is orchestrated
for your highest good,
that its all perfect, and that its
the same for everyone else.
You might attribute this to the
wondrous order of the universe or
to the divine plan of a loving God.
Either way, what if you decide to
live your life from this point
forward with the complete
conviction that everything that
happens to youwithout
exceptionis absolutely perfect
just as it is?
MORE POISE, MORE FREEDOM
Remember, accepting what is
doesnt necessarily mean you
like whats happening. It just
means youve decided to
stop arguing with reality.
Because of that, you are calmer,
more alert, more powerful. You
have greater energy and presence
to spend enjoying life or taking a
stand for what you believe in.
There are two aspects to
embracing the present
moment:
1) Being fully aware and
attentive to the here and
now; and
2) Completely accepting
the moment-to-moment
reality of what is.
When you are fully alive
to the wonder and
opportunity of
each moment,
anxiety dissipates,
fresh possibilities arise,
and a peaceful,
fundamental happiness
emerges.
As a general rule, the
degree of fear we
experience is an exact
measurement of how
far we have strayed
from the present
moment into regrets
about the past or
worries about the
future.
When you do not
accept what is in the
moment, you are
fighting realitythe
equivalent of banging
your head against a
brick wall.
Learning to
accept what is,
instant by instant,
will save you
untold frustration,
anger, and
disappointment.
Accepting the moment-
to-moment flow of what
is gives you the freedom
to focus all your energy
on creatively making
any positive changes
that are needed, whether
they are concrete
changes in the world
around you or personal
attitudinal adjustments.
Group Activity
What role, if any, do you think
faith
plays in being able to live fully
in the present moment?
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTION:
Think about what you have been
learning, and then pick out one small goal
you want to accomplish in the next few
days. Choose a new possibility thats
important to you. Write your action plan
now, briefly stating exactly what you
will do and by when.
A New Possibility
By taking
good care of the
present moment,
we take good care
of the future.
Thich Nhat Hanh
I refuse to waste my energy
fighting reality; I completely
accept what is. Thus, I can use
all my attention and energy to
rejoice in this moment or to
create needed improvements.
POSITIVE SELF-TALK
Remember, the more centered you are on
the Target of Life, the more accepting and
loving you will be, and the easier it will be
for you to embrace the wonder and
opportunity of the present moment.
Together, lets envision
and build a world where
all people enjoy optimal
well-being. Lets strive to awaken
fresh thinking, new enthusiasm, and
abundant love. Lets create a world
of undreamed-of possibilities.
It can be done!
Almost
anything
is possible
if you believe it.
A World of
Possibilities