The Buddhist maxim of being present in the moment cannot be divorced from the maxim of having faith. This is especially true when the present moment is troublesome – so bad that it raises questions in you about your faith. When you cry, "Where is my Buddha nature now? Where is my divine essence?"
This is a wrenching moment for anyone because you don't just have to deal with the pain of the moment, but you have to deal with the pain of lost faith, This is true whether your faith is in the Buddha dharma or in the somewhat expanded version I presented in my post, "Faith: What Is It and Why Is It Essential?"
Regardless, the faith is that you will be psychologically safe, ok, regardless what you encounter in life, what the universe provides, because you have returned home and will always return home to your true Buddha nature, and be filled with its light and love, peace and equanimity, happiness and contentment, faith and strength.
Being present and having faith in the future is not inconsistent. Being present means not fantasizing about the future, not worrying about it, but planning for it while being present as you have been guided. When you have the faith I just described it does not place you in the future nor do you think about it. You just have faith that you will be ok. Which allows you to just be present in the moment; you have no worries.
Be aware that having faith does not mean that you will not have ups and downs. This is a fact of life regardless how deep a person's faith runs. Bad things happen; it's just the way it is.
The important thing is that when you have such moments, you do not succumb to your habitual fears, with emotion; you are aware of where your mind is leading you. And instead listen to your heart; know that having faith, being one with your true Buddha nature, does not mean that there will be no ups and downs; know that all things are impermanent; and have faith that you will ok in the future, that the universe will provide what you need, which is not necessarily what you want. And so you respond to anything that is going on at the moment with dispassion.
For additional thoughts on how to deal with the present being bad, see my post, "What if the Present is Bad?"
May you experience peace and happiness.
This is a wrenching moment for anyone because you don't just have to deal with the pain of the moment, but you have to deal with the pain of lost faith, This is true whether your faith is in the Buddha dharma or in the somewhat expanded version I presented in my post, "Faith: What Is It and Why Is It Essential?"
Regardless, the faith is that you will be psychologically safe, ok, regardless what you encounter in life, what the universe provides, because you have returned home and will always return home to your true Buddha nature, and be filled with its light and love, peace and equanimity, happiness and contentment, faith and strength.
Being present and having faith in the future is not inconsistent. Being present means not fantasizing about the future, not worrying about it, but planning for it while being present as you have been guided. When you have the faith I just described it does not place you in the future nor do you think about it. You just have faith that you will be ok. Which allows you to just be present in the moment; you have no worries.
Be aware that having faith does not mean that you will not have ups and downs. This is a fact of life regardless how deep a person's faith runs. Bad things happen; it's just the way it is.
The important thing is that when you have such moments, you do not succumb to your habitual fears, with emotion; you are aware of where your mind is leading you. And instead listen to your heart; know that having faith, being one with your true Buddha nature, does not mean that there will be no ups and downs; know that all things are impermanent; and have faith that you will ok in the future, that the universe will provide what you need, which is not necessarily what you want. And so you respond to anything that is going on at the moment with dispassion.
For additional thoughts on how to deal with the present being bad, see my post, "What if the Present is Bad?"
May you experience peace and happiness.
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