‘Presence of Mind’ refers to the ability to remember or know exactly what to do in a moment when such knowledge or action is crucial, sometimes even saving lives. The most common cause of short-term forgetfulness is a lack of grounding, leading to an ‘absence of mind’—the opposite of presence of mind. I avoid labelling this as memory loss because it’s short-term, meaning one might not remember instantly when needed but recalls later.
For instance, a student reviewing a question paper after an exam might realise they knew the answers to questions they had skipped because they couldn’t recall the information during the test. Another personal example involves misplacing important documents at home because I had ‘safely’ stored them somewhere but couldn’t remember where when urgently needed.
Paradoxically, an absence of mind or lack of grounding stems from being constantly engaged with thoughts or lost in distractions. Being ‘ungrounded’ means lacking awareness of one’s body or the breathing process in real-time. The fast-paced, modern, urban, digital era is filled with distractions, leading many to remain unaware of their breathing most of the time.
Despite this pervasive challenge, it’s possible to learn simple skills to regain a state of grounding. Fortunately, gentle and gradual remedies are available through adopting simple practices. My eBook, “Transformative Practices: The Inner Alchemy Resource Guide,” provides guidance on this healing and recovery journey. It introduces practices such as Fixed Gazing and Conscious Breathing, Deep Crossing Energy Movements, Gentle Tapping, and other holistic stretching and flexing exercises. These are detailed through illustrations, step-by-step instructions, and links to YouTube demonstration videos and guided meditation audios.
By learning to transition from constant mental engagement to a state of calm awareness through these practices, you can awaken the body’s inherent healing abilities. This empowerment enables a life free from frequent infections and chronic illnesses.
For those interested in exploring these transformative practices further, “Transformative Practices: The Inner Alchemy Resource Guide” is available on Amazon at a moderate price. Accessing this resource, along with my other works, is very easy—simply search for my name on Amazon.