The Expansive Now
Posted on November 06, 2021 by Greg Myers, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.
If reality is all there is to notice or experience or think about, your awareness is that small subset of things present to you now.
What is here, now? What are the thoughts, emotions, sensations that make up your present experience?
Near and far.
Me and not me.
Then and now.
Planning and doing.
Holding on and letting go.
Mood, habitual responses, typical judgements.
Of all the perspectives, concepts, judgements, feelings – of everything that might flood this moment, which ones do you let rise to awareness? If reality is all there is to notice or experience or think about, your awareness is that small subset of things you actually DO notice, experience, and think about.
Imagine for a moment you are looking out the window of a train, at the countryside rushing by. What you see is only the little bit visible out the window – first a barn, then a field, now a tractor, suddenly laundry flapping in the breeze. But all of those things were outside the train, all at once – even if you did not notice them. And of course, there was a lot more you did not see, because of how brief your attention was fixed on any one aspect of the countryside, where your eye landed, and any number of other factors.
Play with the idea of the Expansive Now to help you notice more of what is going on in and around you. If you like, use that noticing to respond in new and different ways – ways that are more aligned to your values.
Care to try? Look for situations where you make a predictable judgement, and respond in a fixed way. Pick something that isn’t too emotionally charged – no more than a 3 or 4 on a scale of 1-10 (so no road rage incidents!). Could be pleasant or unpleasant, or even neutral. The next time you find yourself in this situation, notice what else is present. How do you feel (emotions or sensations)? What are you thinking? What is the cue that sets this pattern in motion? What exactly is the judgement or meaning you make in response? What is the predictable reaction? What is the outcome (thoughts, feelings, consequences)?
Try this for a week or two, and pay attention to what else might be present. You could try imagining yourself floating above the interaction, or internally preparing a report you’ll give later. You don’t necessarily need to change what you are doing – just expand your awareness of what is happening in the now. After a while, just by noticing your assumptions, your thoughts, your actions, you might find yourself aware of new options – new perspectives, new ways of being that better embody things you value.
