How do you know they’re always in the present? Have you ever been a bison? =P

I certainly agree that the platitudes that have become trendy are true, yet their deeper wisdom is not readily apparent in the common ways we use them.

I like how you point out that the purpose of many of these exercises and practices are intended to weaken the ego’s hold on our attention. By doing so, we open up more cognitive bandwidth to take in the present moment. When we bring our tastes, preferences, morality, and past experiences into the present moment, we have less capacity to process and appreciate everything going on around us right now.

For the longest time, since my teenage years, I’ve practiced wei wuwei, or sunyatta, while playing guitar. I didn’t know what I was doing, didn’t have those names and concepts yet. But I knew I had stepped away from the act of playing and just let my fingers, ears, and body react to the wood, strings, and vibrations. They knew where to go and where the melodies are, they knew the rhythm and pace. Once I removed myself, stopped trying to play and just played, magic would (and still does occasionally) happen.

Great article! Thank you for your experience, examples, and wisdom!