Related to the last post, and an ever interesting subject for me, is the idea of living more in the present. It's often said that taking one day at a time is the way to live, embodied in the famous Carpe Diem motto. Seize the day. Or its more modern counterpart YOLO.
First coined by the Roman poet Horace more than 2,000 years ago, the phrase is part of the longer Carpe Diem, Quam Minimum Credula Postero, which is often translated as "Seize the day, put very little trust in tomorrow (the future)". The idea here being that we shouldn't leave to chance our future, but rather start today making our own future better. Related but distinct is the expression Memento Mori - "remember that you are mortal", which carries some of the same connotation as Carpe Diem. For Horace, mindfulness of our own mortality is key in making us realize the importance of the moment. "Remember that you are mortal, so seize the day."
In Matthew 6:34, Jesus invites to a similar reflection: "So never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Each day has enough of its own troubles."
There's a lot of juice and a lot of thought can be put in understanding this simple wisdom. From the hedonistic views that we hear in modern society, to the consumerism philosophy equating pleasure to buying or owning material things, to a more new age mindfulness mentality, a lot revolves around focusing in the present, and it can mean different things for different people.
One of my favourite songs is called Present Tense by Pearl Jam. I enjoy the simplicity of the lyrics and the advice Eddie Vedder gives to the listener. Here the stress is in letting go of the past, stop redigesting past regrets, and forgive yourself. This is an exercise I did through the years and listening to this reminder in the form of a song definitely helped me in doing so.
Do you see the way that tree bends? Does it inspire?
Leaning out to catch the sun's rays...a lesson to be applied...
Are you gettin' something out of this all encompassing trip?
You can spend your time alone redigesting past regrets oh...
Or you can come to terms and realize
You're the only one who can forgive yourself oh yeah...
Makes much more sense to live in the present tense...
Have you ideas on how this life ends?
Checked your hands and studied the lines?
Have you the belief that the road ahead ascends off into the light?
Seems that needlessly it's gettin' harder
To find an approach and a way to live...
Are we gettin' something out of this all-encompassing trip?
You can spend your time alone redigesting past regrets, oh...
Or you can come to terms and realize...
You're the only one who cannot forgive yourself, oh...
Makes much more sense to live in the present tense...
Another of my favourite bands, Radiohead, also released a song with the same name. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, my favourite director, I can't help but think how talent recognizes talent. Here, the subject is different and I see Thom Yorke hinting at his relationship with God, or the search for spiritual meaning. Dancing, like a weapon of self defense against the realities of the present tense. Keeping it light and keeping it moving, doing no harm, but realising you're deaf, dumb, and blind. I can relate to the lyrics and find the whole song extremely beautiful.
This dance
This dance
It's like a weapon
It's like a weapon
Of self defense
Self defense
Against the present
Against the present
Present tense
I won't get heavy
Don't get heavy
Keep it light and
Keep it moving
I am doing
No harm
As my world
Comes crashing down
I'm dancing
Freaking out
Deaf, dumb, and blind
In you I'm lost
In you I'm lost
I won't turn around when the penny drops
I won't stop now
I won't slack off
Or all this love
Will be in vain
Stop from falling
Down a mine
It's no one's business but mine
That all this love
Has been in vain
In you I'm lost
In you I'm lost
In you I'm lost
In you I'm lost
This week I had customers from England, and we had a chat about living a simple life. They got rid of their big home, their kids are all grown up and now they don't spend money on buying things anymore, but traveling instead. They are indeed seizing the day by focusing on what gives them more joy. So to summarise and collect my thoughts about it all, I feel that living in the Present Tense means:
- stop redigesting past regrets
- do not allow the past to control your future, and to stop you appreciating what you have in the present
- leave the past where it belongs
- make the most of each day
- you are mortal so respect your condition and your fragile human body
- don't be anxious about tomorrow, today is enough
- don't feel the pain of future events you can't control today
- simplify your life so as to focus on the more meaningful important things in life
"Makes much more sense to live in the present tense."
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20170517-what-it-really-means-to-seize-the-day
First coined by the Roman poet Horace more than 2,000 years ago, the phrase is part of the longer Carpe Diem, Quam Minimum Credula Postero, which is often translated as "Seize the day, put very little trust in tomorrow (the future)". The idea here being that we shouldn't leave to chance our future, but rather start today making our own future better. Related but distinct is the expression Memento Mori - "remember that you are mortal", which carries some of the same connotation as Carpe Diem. For Horace, mindfulness of our own mortality is key in making us realize the importance of the moment. "Remember that you are mortal, so seize the day."
In Matthew 6:34, Jesus invites to a similar reflection: "So never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Each day has enough of its own troubles."
There's a lot of juice and a lot of thought can be put in understanding this simple wisdom. From the hedonistic views that we hear in modern society, to the consumerism philosophy equating pleasure to buying or owning material things, to a more new age mindfulness mentality, a lot revolves around focusing in the present, and it can mean different things for different people.
One of my favourite songs is called Present Tense by Pearl Jam. I enjoy the simplicity of the lyrics and the advice Eddie Vedder gives to the listener. Here the stress is in letting go of the past, stop redigesting past regrets, and forgive yourself. This is an exercise I did through the years and listening to this reminder in the form of a song definitely helped me in doing so.
Do you see the way that tree bends? Does it inspire?
Leaning out to catch the sun's rays...a lesson to be applied...
Are you gettin' something out of this all encompassing trip?
You can spend your time alone redigesting past regrets oh...
Or you can come to terms and realize
You're the only one who can forgive yourself oh yeah...
Makes much more sense to live in the present tense...
Have you ideas on how this life ends?
Checked your hands and studied the lines?
Have you the belief that the road ahead ascends off into the light?
Seems that needlessly it's gettin' harder
To find an approach and a way to live...
Are we gettin' something out of this all-encompassing trip?
You can spend your time alone redigesting past regrets, oh...
Or you can come to terms and realize...
You're the only one who cannot forgive yourself, oh...
Makes much more sense to live in the present tense...
Another of my favourite bands, Radiohead, also released a song with the same name. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, my favourite director, I can't help but think how talent recognizes talent. Here, the subject is different and I see Thom Yorke hinting at his relationship with God, or the search for spiritual meaning. Dancing, like a weapon of self defense against the realities of the present tense. Keeping it light and keeping it moving, doing no harm, but realising you're deaf, dumb, and blind. I can relate to the lyrics and find the whole song extremely beautiful.
This dance
This dance
It's like a weapon
It's like a weapon
Of self defense
Self defense
Against the present
Against the present
Present tense
I won't get heavy
Don't get heavy
Keep it light and
Keep it moving
I am doing
No harm
As my world
Comes crashing down
I'm dancing
Freaking out
Deaf, dumb, and blind
In you I'm lost
In you I'm lost
I won't turn around when the penny drops
I won't stop now
I won't slack off
Or all this love
Will be in vain
Stop from falling
Down a mine
It's no one's business but mine
That all this love
Has been in vain
In you I'm lost
In you I'm lost
In you I'm lost
In you I'm lost
This week I had customers from England, and we had a chat about living a simple life. They got rid of their big home, their kids are all grown up and now they don't spend money on buying things anymore, but traveling instead. They are indeed seizing the day by focusing on what gives them more joy. So to summarise and collect my thoughts about it all, I feel that living in the Present Tense means:
- stop redigesting past regrets
- do not allow the past to control your future, and to stop you appreciating what you have in the present
- leave the past where it belongs
- make the most of each day
- you are mortal so respect your condition and your fragile human body
- don't be anxious about tomorrow, today is enough
- don't feel the pain of future events you can't control today
- simplify your life so as to focus on the more meaningful important things in life
"Makes much more sense to live in the present tense."
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20170517-what-it-really-means-to-seize-the-day
In agreement. One of my favourite songs by PJ and one by Radiohead that I didn't really know so thank you for this. "Each day has enough of its own troubles." Quite.
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