Published:

11/16/2010 05:06pm

Connecting With The Moment: A simple method to get centered each day in the New Year

 Huna: esoteric knowledge which is hidden from view or concealed; wisdom which is "protected like a treasure"
 Ho'omana: one of the original names for Huna; empowerment or to empower. The word is a combination of two, Ho'o: to make, and Mana: basic life force energy.
 Pono: a state of being in alignment with higher consciousness; the sense of being right with yourself and the world

Do you ever feel like you are being pulled so many ways by so many demands that you can’t focus on any one thing?

This feeling we call stress is one of our biggest problems in modern life. It can sap our energy and fill us with limiting thoughts and negative emotions. The reason we feel stressed in those moments is we have lost our sense of calm, peace and congruency in ourselves and with the world around us.

Huna is the ancient Hawaiian science of consciousness, energy and healing I teach from my lineage and life experience. Many of my students have requested Huna tips on a regular basis. So let’s start with a simple way to connect with the moment and your mana (life-force energy) to become pono (the sense of being right with yourself and the world).

When you first wake up in the morning, ask yourself what is my intention for the day? For instance, my intention today is to really make a connection with the students I am going to be communicating with, to help my daughter start off a fabulous day and get to school, and to enjoy some time with the faculty and staff in the office and really connect with them.

When I am getting ready to go to the office for the day and take my daughter to her school, I take a moment to look around and connect with the nature around our home. Just taking time to notice the birds, trees, sky, breeze, sun, rain, snow — whatever the outdoors is like where you are — is a great opportunity to practice being in the moment.

Even if you can’t go outdoors or get to natural surroundings, you can get centered in whatever moment you are in. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Clear your mind of thoughts that are not of the moment. The five seconds you just spent helps you feel calm and centered, and remember the intention you set at the beginning of the day.

Why take the time to do this? Being100 percent present in the moment empowers you to focus on the people and situations before you, instead of worrying about what is in the past or what you have to do next.

This struck me as I was getting ready for the holidays. Like lots of people, I had my Christmas tree up and a list of gifts to buy and things to accomplish each day. But I still needed to take time to put all those things aside, even if just for a moment, to feel that connection with the here and now.

When you bring everything into the moment, that is when you find the most empowerment. It is not about building up or getting more energy coming in. Instead, it is about taking everything, slowing it down and bringing it to that one moment. When you do that, you will find all the power and mana that you need in to get through your day.

Aloha!

See the video Connecting With Dr. Matthew B. James at http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=218152152834