When we're awake, our great minds can be in one of three different states. Past, Present, or Future. Among the three, only one is useful, which is the Present.
Being Present-minded means having concentration and consciousness towards something that we're working on. It's like when you sembahyang, people tell you to be khusyuk, and that's a good example of having your mind with you, right there and then.
Notice where would your mind go when it's not in the present.
Yes, only either in the Past or in the Future.
If we're thinking about something that has happened, like "Damn, I shouldn't have said that to my friends. What am I gonna do now?" That's when your mind is in the past. Regret is type of feeling that you'll get when your mind concentrates on history or the past.
On the other hand, if you're daydreaming or worried about what's gonna happen, like "Well, if I have an unlimited amount of money, I'd like to get this car, and this house, and these clothes. How wonderful..." or "Oh my God, that's the cute girl I saw in the coffee shop last time. If I walk up to her and say Hi now, what is she gonna think? What if she rejects me?" Now, this is when your mind is in the Future. Feelings that you might get when these things occur are Jealousy, or Anxiousness. Jealousy is simply an act of thinking in advance of what's gonna happen next, believing it and becoming attached to it until it affects our feelings.
Future or Past, both are big NO-NO's. Don't do it.
So, be Present-Minded all the time. Focus. Examine your feelings and decide what to do, on the spot if that's possible. Apply all of the techniques showed in the Anxiety and Anger posts. This will also help you to suffer less (Refer to the post on Suffering). Don't let your mind drift away.
When your mind is not present, nothing can happen no matter how long you concentrate on it. Remember, you DO NOT CONTROL the past or the future. The only thing that you have is NOW, the PRESENT. So, act on what you have NOW. React.
When to apply? In the class, and while tengah sembahyang, etc. etc.
Again, please do not confuse these with 'Future planning' or 'Learning from mistakes in the past', as these two are different and they're actually very healthy.
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