Staying Present Vs. Planning for the Future

[onacloudynight]

I am having a hard time finding the proper balance between the two. Lately I have become so present that I have failed to foresee certain negative things that have happened to me because I didn't properly plan for it. Also I have noticed that constantly planning for the future stresses me out and takes me away from enjoying the present moment. I know you shouldn't constantly be worrying about the future, but is the goal eventually to always be present 24/7 and not plan for anything? Doesn't seem wise to me. What do you guys think?

Edited July 31, 2018 by onacloudynight

[Sahil Pandit]

@onacloudynight Be in the now, like you are trying to do, and get yourself a stop watch, eliminate all distractions and grab yourself a piece of paper/pen and find a quite place to sit.

Then, be present again, set your timer for 10-20 minutes, then take the next step and write/plan. Keep repeating these steps and see what happens. 

Good luck. 

[Faceless]

Present moment BE-ing, or not?

 

 

I am amazed how much this attempt of “staying present”, can actually very subtly be a reaction-response of the past, that is perpetually trying to control-project a certain particular type of future-destination-goal. 

 

How do we know when we are really present, or in this ‘state’ of “BE-ing”?? 

 

Do “we” know if we are Be-ing present?

 

Or is the “we”, (knower-known), a manifestation and expression, that actually indicates the absence of present BE-ing?

 

“We”, “the knower”, which is “the known”, or (the past), mechanically moves to project itself forward in time. If this movement in fact takes place, it implies that there is not actually a “present moment” or “state of BE-ing”, being actualized at all, or does it?

 

If there is any reaction-response of experience, knowledge, memory, or (time) as “the i”, being carried over into “the now”, could this “Living in the present” state of “BE-ing”, actually be a subtle form of living from the past, as a modified present, and projected future all simultaneously as a movement away from what is???

 

Is this an example of the self perpetuating loop of experience as the i, (time), that acts as a veil to timeless BE-ing.

 

Surprisingly this seems to go unnoticed. 

 

Quite interesting isn’t it? 

 

 

 

Edited August 1, 2018 by Faceless

[Nahm]

@onacloudynight Planning is planning.   You’re adding the stressful color.  How did it come about that planning is not enjoyable to you? Planning is something you’re doing now. 

[Viking]

ive ranted about it recently, I dont believe in being present. it have to come naturally.

2 hours ago, onacloudynight said:

Lately I have become so present that I have failed to foresee certain negative things that have happened to me because I didn't properly plan for it.

Umm are you sure about that? inquire more into what actually happened

[Prabhaker]

4 hours ago, onacloudynight said:

Lately I have become so present that I have failed to foresee certain negative things that have happened to me because I didn't properly plan for it.

Do you think negative things will not happen if you plan properly ? 

4 hours ago, onacloudynight said:

goal eventually to always be present 24/7 and not plan for anything

That is the ultimate goal, you can't always be present 24/7 right now, you can always spend few minutes in planning and remain in present moment rest of the day. 

4 hours ago, onacloudynight said:

I have failed to foresee certain negative things that have happened to me

Don't judge that a certain thing is negative, if you are positive, then nothing is negative for you. If you are negative, then everything will be negative for you. Existence cannot be forced to go according to you, it flows in its own way.

[onacloudynight]

@Nahm

I think I realize what is going on. The reason I stress is because I am trying to rush through the planning process. Instead of just planning slow and mindfully.

[onacloudynight]

2 hours ago, Prabhaker said:

Do you think negative things will not happen if you plan properly ?

I guess it is just because my life situation is less than optimal. I live with my parents and I try being present all the time, but my parents keep thinking I am doing nothing, which I am but it is not bad from my perspective. So I am trying to figure out a way to move out of my parents house, which takes planning. If I just sat down and was present all the time, nothing would get done. I would still be at my parents house.

My parents already threatened to kick me out of the house if I don't start doing something. So if I don't start planning out what I am going to do, I am going to end up homeless.

It is actually pretty funny. Just imagine being blissed out in samadhi. Your just sitting there on the couch doing absolutely nothing and then your parents come up and yell at you to go do something with your life. Like what more do I need?

Edited August 1, 2018 by onacloudynight

[Gabriel Antonio]

38 minutes ago, onacloudynight said:

I think I realize what is going on. The reason I stress is because I am trying to rush through the planning process. Instead of just planning slow and mindfully.

Interesting. 

 

Good planning requires a lot of concentration. I think it's important to set aside a specific time that's exclusive for planning. This way, you can put all your attention into planning. And then after you're done, you already have a strategy, so you can be free to live in the present moment.  

I think bad planning happens when you're doing something, and then you start planning. Instead of concentrating on doing your task, you start to daydream and, possibly, ruminate. Basically, this daydream planning fuels anxiety and is highly ineffective. 

Good planning (with concentration) is like a focused sunlight beam, whereas bad planning (with poor concentration) is like a regular sunlight. One has the power to even kill an ant, while the other simply can't.  

This idea that "I am focused in the present moment, so I don't want to plan" is BS. Leo has a great episode that shows the importance of being a good strategic thinker:  

 

Edited August 1, 2018 by Gabriel Antonio

[MrDmitriiV]

@onacloudynight As said by Shinzen Young, life is measured in how much time you spent in the so called present moment, not in illusions (the so called past and future)

Most people barely live more then a year, because all the other time is spent in mind loops.

 

[pluto]

Its okay to plan a little but make sure the plan is flexible enough that if the outcome were to change it doesn't create too much of a rebound effect which can push you off balance.

[onacloudynight]

10 minutes ago, dorg said:

Sorry, but it takes more than planning to avoid being homeless.

Yeah, taking action also is very important. Honestly being homeless doesn't even sound that bad to me. How can I really be homeless if the whole world is my home?

[Elisabeth]

@onacloudynight How did you resolve the dilemma so far?