The last ACT post was on values, because those are what drive us. I’m going with present moment awareness this time because we need access to the moment to use the other ACT skills.
Present Moment Awareness is like mindfulness and is literally how it sounds: awareness of the present moment. Right now. And now. And now. And so on.
The good news is that the moment is quite literally always there. So, if you ever remember to notice it, there will be many data points for you to notice.
In ACT, we refer to the things we notice in the moment as internal or external events.
External events might be things you observe with your senses. It could be a “sigh” you overheard, or a grimace on someone’s face. We want to be careful to just notice these things, and not to dive into interpretations or judgments, as those take us further from the moment.
Internal events can actually be those thoughts! But instead, it is an awareness of that as part of the present moment. The sound or vibration of breath is something to notice internally (sometimes we can hear it too). We also can notice things like knots in the stomach, chest tightness, burning sensations in the face, or relief!
Noticing the moment helps us get grounded when we need to, like in stressful conversations or when we have witnessed a devastating event.
Practice is important and necessary. Coming back to the moment when we are stressed is VERY HARD. Our brain and body resist it actually. So, it’s beneficial to practice when we are doing just fine!
Try it right now. Notice 2-5 things. Internal or external. It doesn’t matter what. And you don’t have to stay here.
That’s the other part. There’s no perfect way to be in the moment (we are trying to get away from white supremacy perfectionism, anyway, right?), and we don’t have to stay in it. We aren’t built for sustained, everlasting mindfulness. Just come back when you remember. Or set a timer!
Why is this important for anti racist work??
We have to be able to notice what is happening to understand it and to shift our responses toward how we want to respond outwardly. We can work to create the small spaces for intention and care to do this work. Present Moment Awareness can also help us even witness the racist thoughts or emotional reactions we have.
Many times we actively stay out of the present to avoid thoughts/feelings, but if we don’t notice them, how can we work on them? So, noticing what’s there, allowing it to show to the surface, allows us to take the next steps.