In this time of heightened demand and rapid change it becomes ever more challenging to stay grounded and awake to what’s happening in the present moment.

When we’re stressed the tendency is to worry about the past or the future—two things we have no control over. Rehashing yesterday or rehearsing a plan for tomorrow takes our attention and energy away from the here and now.

In these uncertain times the dominant trend is to get caught in a spiral of worry about the future. This is unhelpful and damaging for a number of reasons. Firstly, the biochemistry of fear that floods our body weakens the immune system making us less resilient and strong. And secondly, fear gets in the way of us being alert and available to the signals of nature. Put simply, good decisions are never made when we’re in a state of fear about what the future might bring.

The best way to re-engage in the present moment is to practise Vedic Meditation and allow for stress to be dissolved from the system. In addition to a regular Vedic Meditation practice there are other simple techniques that keep us tuned into the now.

Here’s a quick and easy exercise, literally called “come to your senses” to do just that:

Simply sit or stand somewhere and take a moment to get comfortable.

• Begin with the sense of sound. Take 20 seconds and note the noises around you—loud and subtle, near and far.
• Then move to the sense of sight. Take 20 seconds and note what you can see around you in that moment—colours, texture, light and shadow.
• Next take 20 seconds to note what aromas are in the air—food, perfume, humidity in the air.
• Then take 20 seconds to note the various tastes in your mouth—toothpaste, coffee, chewing gum.
• Finally, move on to the sense of touch. Take another 20 seconds and note what you feel—the textures of your clothes, the temperature of the air, the weight of your limbs.

By taking a few moments (probably less than two minutes) we wake up each of the senses, take ourselves away from the ‘mental chatter’ and return to what’s actually happening in the present moment. It’s from this place of alertness that we can connect to reality and stay strong and well.