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HOW NOW -
100 Ways To Celebrate 
The Present Moment

By Raphael Cushnir

“Living in the Now will change your life. It will make you feel happier and lighter. It will fill you with purpose, power, and love. And best of all, the key to living in the present moment is here in your hands.”

Raphael Cushnir

From the Buddha to the Ram Dass, prophets, philosophers and sages have told us to live in the “now.” But what does that actually mean? In How Now, author Raphael Cushnir breaks down the ambiguous concept of living in the present and offers 100 practices designed to bring awareness to our thoughts and actions.

Each exercise highlights a simple way to use everyday activities as reminders of our inner lives, such as: Mind Your Money Exercise What is money? For some it’s a blessing, for some it’s a curse, and for others it’s simply a means of exchange. In one sense, the way you spend money over time is the irrefutable record of what you value. Watching your expenses over time provides an opportunity to become more present to previously habitual choices. This awareness might be confirming, surprising, or a powerful inducement to change.

The Practice: For one month, keep a rubber band around the bills in your wallet. Place additional rubber bands around your checkbook, credit card, and ATM card. Then, whenever you have to remove one of the rubber bands in order to buy something, use that moment to reflect. Do I really care about what I’m buying? 

What is its impact on my life as a whole? Would I be better served by using this money in another way? It’s important to note that there’s no right or wrong in this exercise. How you spend your money is entirely up to you. So keep your exploration relaxed and light. Let it guide you to your heart’s desire. Change a Routine Exercise Whenever we do something the same way, over and over, it tends to become rote. This bars us from the potential liveliness in the activity, as well as from the moment in which it’s happening. Even a slight shift in the way we perform activities can snap us to attention. With more attention comes renewed presence, along with the fulfillment that presence always brings.

The Practice: Pick a daily routine…perhaps your morning stretch, your route to work, or the way you brush your teeth. For the next few days, make a conscious choice to change one part of that routine. You might squeeze the toothpaste with your other hand, for instance, or reverse your usual order of brushing. Make the change something that requires your full attention, and make it different every day. Does the activity become more interesting? More pleasant? 

How Now is filled with inspiring, life-affirming activities, from blowing bubbles and skipping, to refining friendships and attentive listening, to befriending pain, forging forgiveness, and mining memories.

Cost: $14.95 + $5.00 s/h • HOW NOW…100 Way To Celebrate The Present Moment by Raphael Cushnir

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