The Secret to Freedom: Release “Next” Consciousness!

There we were on vacation on beautiful Cape Cod. We had perfect weather, hot, humid, sunny. Water temps of the ocean and kettle ponds cold but perfect. Biking was epic and blissful. At the end of a magical day, sitting out on the deck, we reflected on the bliss of our day together.

But then we started asking ourselves, what do we want to do next? What’s next? Suddenly I had the revelation that I entered into the next moment, a planning moment, an envisioning moment for something not now. I started to grieve. Why?

By jumping into “what’s next consciousness,” I was no longer able to savor the NOW moment! Up until this jump, I was simply enjoying just being on the deck, savoring the day’s events. Even more poignantly, I had been savoring the moment of doing nothing, just being. Isn’t that what vacation is about? Being rather than doing?

How often is our blissful “now” moment interrupted by “nexting?”

It’s as if the present moment isn’t enough to justify savoring it. Are we content with just being or do we need to always be leaving the present moment to plan for what’s next? An interesting contemplation of self-awareness. 

Once I became aware of this, I said to Hallie, “Hey did you notice the difference of experience when we shifted from savoring the now to planning what’s next?” We both had the visceral experience of going from our hearts up into our heads. On a subtle level, we both felt slight anxiety and nervousness. 

There’s no shame in “nexting.”

In fact, I often find enjoyment in it. Is it necessary? Maybe. But is it necessary on vacation? No!!! We both took a deep breath and consciously released thinking about what we would do next. In that moment, bliss expanded in our hearts. I felt so much gratitude just to be here, with my beloved, in my favorite place (the Cape), in nature, surrounded by all things good.

What’s more, because we were so in the moment, the next moment perfectly and effortlessly presented itself and we flowed into it.

In Tantra, savoring the present moment, being with what is, whether it’s blissful or not, is the key to opening the door to freedom. Allowing ourselves to settle into the here and now, without any need to enter into “next” consciousness is an amazing way to stay present. In that moment of shifting from head to heart, from planning to just being, a world of deep appreciation and gratitude for what we have opens up.

May you release planning for what’s next and savor being in your present moment. May your sadhana offer you moments of pure presence that take you deep into the threshold between being and doing, savoring and “nexting.” And may your heart open with the bliss of freedom, allowing this moment to be just as it is.

See you on the mat!

Namaste,

Todd

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