Even if we perceive time as a continuous flow of events, originating in the past and unfolding in the future, there is another perspective, a different one, worth considering. A dual perspective delimiting just present and non-present moments. When we talk in terms of time as a flow of unfolding and concealing events, we have the triad of past-present-future. This sequential delimiting is pertaining to our relative existence, thus to our comparative reality. However, if we reorganize our attitude in the context of the existential perspective, herein considering our self developmental potential, the triad can be reduced to the duality of present and non-present. This leads to reorganization of our experience in the self-developmental context, which is the subject of today’s Vertegram post.

The “eternal present”

When it comes to spirituality, the importance of the present moment is often overemphasized. I am sure you’ve heard it yourself may times. “Be here and now!” “It is just the present moment that it is important!” And other similar statements that slowly become part of the common knowledge. But what to do with the past and the future? Are those sequences of time completely irrelevant? How to disregard them? Is that possible? Remaining focused only on the present moment, all right, and then what? What then? The flow of time is involved again and again. Hard to get rid of it, isn’t it?

What to do with your past and the future?

This concept doesn’t lead you too far. If that would be so simple, I guess there should be so many people fulfilled in their spiritual quest. If you just count those who were telling you to do so… All right, then this is what I suggest: let’s switch to a different perspective. Let’s reduce the triadic approach (past-present-future) to a dual one: there is the present and the non-present. The non-present can contain both past and future. But the two protagonists are enough for now. Now let’s see about those two in details.

1. The Present

Being focused on the present is being focused on activity. Acting is possible only in the present moment. And the syndrome accompanying the emphasized present moment is called restlessness. Maybe not a syndrome, just an attribute.

2. The Non-present

Being oriented towards the non-present means being oriented towards the concealing and unfolding of events. Towards what happened and what might happen. This, as the other side of being focused on the present, of being active, is on the contrary, being passive. Drawing away from activity. Being inertial.

As they are, in their natural state, both orientations are contributing to the paradox of being obliged to play whether as active or as passive players. None of those two are leading naturally to a neutral state. Remember, we are in the context of self development possibilities here. Meaning we should have an other option, there should be another possibility to transcend the paradox.

Being focused exclusively on the present doesn’t seem like a viable solution. Even if you hear it all the time that the “eternal now” is all that matters. The rejection of sinking into an inertial state is more accepted, as on the levels of social or physical health an active attitude is more desirable.

The potential of a third approach

Now we seem to get back to a triadic approach. Not to the one of the three time sequences (past-present-future), but to one that presents the potentiality of a third state, beyond present and non-present. This third state should be the solution for the paradox of restlessness versus inertia. As it is not possible to get out from the context of time perception, both present and non-present will remain. Seemingly the solution is to get an equilibrium between those two sides. But how to get there?

There isn’t much left but to accept.

The magic word is acceptance. Since fighting any of those two would not lead anywhere, but increase their effect on us, there isn’t much left but to accept. Fighting restlessness will obviously lead to more agitation. Rejecting the non-present, rejecting the past, trying not to remember, avoiding it, but nevertheless denying the inevitability of what future holds, leads to fear, despair, depression etc.

This kind of acceptance is not easy to realize. It is not easy to understand it. There are so many facets of it that needs to be considered. Still, there isn’t much left in terms of options to handle our time. Consider this an experiment to approach your time in different manner. Just a possibility among many in your self-developmental quest.

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