The heart of Buddhist practice is to generate our own presence in such a way that we can touch deeply the life that is here and available in every moment. We have to be here for ourselves, we have to be here for the people we love, we have to be here for life with all its wonders. The message of our Buddhist practice is simple and clear: "I am here for you." In our daily life, we are often lost in thoughts. We get lost in regrets about the past and fears about the future. We get lost in our plans, our anger, and our anxiety. At such moments, we cannot really be here for ourselves. We are not really here for life. Practice makes it possible for us to be free--to rid ourselves of these obstacles and establish ourselves firmly in the present moment. Practice gives us methods we can use to help us be here in the present moment. Practice makes it possible for us to say "I am here for you." The Buddha said, "The past no longer exists, and the future is not here yet." There is only a single moment in which we can truly be alive, and that is the present moment. Being present in the here and now is our practice. Excerpted from You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment by Thich Nhat Hanh All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
