Practicing Staying Present to the Now

Transformational Counseling is about assisting othersbrain wave activity for an even more profound state
to transform their life. Transformational Counseling is aof relaxation.The meditative process of practicing
process of assisting others to learn how to let go ofstaying present to the Now is as follows:1. Take a
the past and live fully in the present. To live fully in thecomfortable position in an upright sitting position.2. Allow
present is to become awaken to what is truly real andyour legs and arms to be open.3. Allow your eyes to
to our own natural power. Much of our life is spentfocus upon a chosen object. The chosen object could
living in the past, and in the process, attempting to fix it,be a candle light in a darkened room or any point that
to make it something that it is or was not. It is fromyou choose.4. As you focus on the chosen object,
living in the past that we also attempt to create ourallow your muscles to slowly relax from the top of
future, the result always being a living of life as it wasyour head to the tips of your toes.5. Take three slow
in the past. Transformation takes place when we learndeep breathes in through your nose as you inhale. Hold
to exist in and be present to the Now.The practice ofeach breath to the mental count of four. Slowly exhale
staying present to our natural power and to that whicheach breath out through your mouth. Continue to
is real is becoming conscious to what is so, to thebreath at a slow pace after the three breaths.6.
Now, to the present. What is so, the Now, has noContinue to focus on the chosen object. When your
meaning and exists outside of thought and language.mind wanders to some thought or thoughts slowly and
As human beings we tend to give meaning togently bring it back to your focused concentration upon
everything, including other people, ourselves and eventhe chosen object. Simply let go of the thoughts that
life itself. It is in our meaning making that we leave thearise. The thoughts are from the past. Stay focused to
present and create our life from the past, a life thatwhat is so.7. Continue the practice for a prescribed
can be filled with a great deal of anxiety, fear andperiod of time and then go about your daily activities.
stress. What is so merely exists and it is in theEach day that you practice you may even choose to
experience of the Now that we begin to live a life oflengthen the time you spend with this technique.The
power and freedom, a life and way of being free fromability to stay in the present, to access the Now, can
our past.A specific technique that is very powerful forbe enhanced with the consistent practice of meditation.
practicing staying present to the Now is meditation. It isWhat this will necessitate is one making the practice of
in meditation that one creates the space to experiencemeditation apart of his or her daily schedule. With the
a very deep state of relaxation, a state that is veryconsistent practice of meditation one will also create
healing to both the mind and body. As we know, inthe ability to stay even more present to what is so
meditation ones metabolism slows down, includingeven when not actively engaged in the meditative
heart rate and blood pressure. The consistent practiceprocess. It is through a commitment to the practice of
of meditation will reduce anxiety and stress. For somemeditation on a daily basis that one will begin to live
the practice of meditation allows them to access truemore fully in the Now.Harry Henshaw, Ed.D., LMHC
Being. For others it is way of reconnecting to the SpiritHarry Henshaw earned his doctoral degree in Human
within us. It is in the consistent practice of meditationDevelopment and Counseling from Boston University
that the subject and object distinction inherent inand has designed and implemented mental health and
language, thought and meaning making collapsessubstance abuse programs in outpatient, residential and
thereby resulting in our access to the present, to thehospital settings in Illinois, Massachusetts and Florida.Dr.
Now.The meditative process can be enhanced by theHenshaw is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the
use of therapeutic relaxation music. Music has alwaysState of Florida, a certified Clinical Supervisor and a
been a very powerful modality for promoting a verymember of the American Counseling Association &
deep state of relaxation and even healings. I haveAmerican Psychological Association. Trained in
found that musical compositions that are harmonicallyneuro-linguistic programming, Dr. Henshaw is also
slow, repetitious, with sustained voices, which arecertified to practice and teach hypnosis in the State of
rhythmically, random in tempo assists an individual inFlorida.Dr. Henshaw is also in private practice in
experiencing a very deep state of relaxation. AHallandale Beach, Florida and utilizes the technology of
second important component of the use of therapeuticTransformational Counseling. In addition to his work as
relaxation music is the use of binaural audio tones thata Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Supervisor,
have been interwoven into the music. The binauralDr. Henshaw has developed a series of audio health
tones, through a process referred to as entrainment orcare products for use by professional providers and
frequency following, gently guides or directs the mindthe public.
body to generate more of the targeted frequency of