The Present moment is the only one we can experience. The past is something we remember, the future is something we anticipate. The word “Maya” is often translated as illusion. In Advaita Vedanta Maya means something more like “transitory” “changing”. When we are in the Present moment, we are living in the “what is”, when we are living in the past or the future, we are living in that which “was” or “will be”. This means that past and future are Maya- they are transitory, changing.
It would follow to say that unless you are living in the Present moment, you are living in Maya- in illusion, in a state of change.
So, if you’re not Present, where are you? You are in an illusion!
In order to live in reality, being rooted in Presence should, therefore, become our priority. It is a spiritual embodied practice that aligns us with our True, Divine Self. It draws us into a place where we realize we are ANANDA (bliss) – not as an experience but as a state. We are so rooted in this that we remain in unchanging bliss despite the storms of life.
Learning to set your roots deeply in Presence is about alignment with the Divine, with creation, with our True Nature. It is a method to reconnect to something which is far greater than this mind-body complex, allowing us to return to our Truth-that which sustains and guides us, to return to the seeds that we were before our roots even sprouted.
Living in the Present means we recognize the presence of the One Reality right here, right now. In a world filled with distractions and constant change, being Present is honoring a moment of unchanging stillness that helps us reconnect with Truth, Reality, ourSelves. We have so many names for this Sacredness- God, Universe, Brahman, Nature , Spirit- what ever we call It, this act of rooting in Presence, allows us to release fear and reconnect with a power greater than ourselves. In the Bible, Psalm 46:10 tells us:
Be still, and know that I am God.
In stillness, we find this Presence as a deep sense of peace, of surrender, of trust, of radical acceptance. We realize the promises of never being alone, of always being loved, of having all the knowledge we need to navigate this human experience. It is the opportunity to step into alignment with the divine flow of love and grace that nourishes us.
To be rooted in presence is to fully trust in what holds you at this moment, here and now. It might mean relinquishing control and placing your faith in whatever the Universe holds for you. It might mean surrendering to the fierce Grace of the Divine and trusting whatever it has to offer right now, right here. Radical acceptance of the present doesn’t take away our struggles but it does ease the suffering, it offers us an anchor- because our roots are so deep, we can weather the storms. The deep roots of Presence remind us that we are not alone, that healing is possible, that change will always come, and that the Divine presence is always right here, right now.
Being rooted in Presence is not just a momentary, fleeting practice; it’s a way of manifesting your life around right here, right now. It includes faith, trust, living in Truth, and connection. Being rooted in Presence means that happiness is not just an occasional reprieve, it is a constant, unchanging part of life which supports us on this human adventure as we ride the ups and downs. When we are so rooted, we learn to approach each day with intention, with a commitment to see all Beings as One Reality. We see clearly that there is so little we can control, instead of reacting to situations,we surrender to stepping back and pausing to offer the one thing we can control- our response to all that happens.
Being rooted in Presence grows the best version of us -one where we are so connected to that One Reality, we bloom flowers of Love to be shared with All
Here are some exercises to practice setting your roots in Presence:
We use our human attributes in the form of our senses as a tool to deepen our connection to the Divine, to the Present moment, and to the sacredness within it.
