What Constitutes Living?

Are you living or existing? It's a matter of attention. Find out more in this mini podcast.

Grasshopper Notes are the writings from America's Best Known Hypnotherapist John Morgan. His podcasts contain his most responded to essays and blog posts from the past two decades. 

Find the written versions of these podcasts on John's podcasting site: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628038

"The Grasshopper" is the part of you that whispers pearls of wisdom that  seem to pop into your mind from out of the blue. John's essays and blog posts are his interpretations of these "Nips of Nectar." Others have labeled his writings as timeless wisdom. 

Most of the John's writings revolve around self improvement and self help. They address topics like:

• Mindfulness
• Peace of mind
• Creativity
• How to stay in the present moment
• Spirituality
• Behavior improvement

And stories that transform you to a wider sense of awareness that presents more options. And isn't that what we all want, more options? 

John uploads these podcasts on a regular basis. So check back often to hear these podcasts heard around the world. Who wants to be the next person to change? 

Make sure to order a copy of John's new book: WISDOM OF THE GRASSHOPPER – 21 Days to Creativity. These mini-meditations take you inside where all your creative resources live. And you'll come out not only refreshed but recommitted to creating your future. 

It's only $16.95 and available at BLURB.COM at the link below. https://www.blurb.com/b/10239673-wisd...

Also, download John's FREE book INTER RUPTION: The Magic Key To Lasting Change. It's available at John's website  https://GrasshopperNotes.com

Transcript

What Constitutes Living? 

What constitutes living? sounds like a question ripe for a bevy of Facebook responses.

I asked that question to no one in particular one day and here’s the answer The Grasshopper gave me: “Live the moment you’re in.”

That, for me, is living. Conversely, attempting to live in a moment you are not in is . . . let's call it “Deading.”

I once had a tree surgeon come by and remove a lot of dead wood from a big oak tree in our front yard. It got me to thinking about all the dead wood we deal with everyday – moments that contain no life.

We attempt to live in lifeless moments never noticing that they have the ability to break off and rob us of our life.

Lifeless moments are ones that are over and done, or ones that may never arrive. We spend so much time dwelling on these moments that we forget to live.

Living is a Now experience – not a 5 minutes ago or 5 years in the future thing.

Living is a byproduct of keeping track of your attention. The minute it wanders off, you're no longer living; you're, instead, accepting a cheap imitation of living.

Want more life in this lifetime? Pay attention to the moment you’re in.

One little practice that delivers more life is to start paying attention to things that you do without attention. Start with something as simple as washing your hands. Most of us aren’t present to our hand washing. We’re off in another moment while our hands wash themselves. Try this: sense the feel of the soap and warm water on your hands, hear the water splashing about, notice the suds being washed away, smell the aroma of clean hands.

As silly as it sounds, it's a simple practice like this delivers more life. It opens you up to the notion that you can live more life each day by paying attention to the moment you’re in.

There are countless theoretical answers to the question, “What constitutes living?” But living your life by a theory is truly “Theo-rectical” – that's living with your head up your ass.

There is no substitute for the experience of life that present moment awareness brings.

All the best,

John