I had gained insight into one of the most fundamental truths of life—that conscious awareness only exists in the here and now. Why is this important? Because this insight allows us to see that thoughts about the past and the future are just that: thoughts. The past doesn’t exist except in our memories, and the future doesn’t exist except in our imagination. Rather than being lost in our train of thought, therefore, we can take a step back and say—ahh, this is what I’m thinking, feeling, and experiencing right now. We can awaken to the reality of the present moment.
