This is an excerpt from Week 3 of The Alma Answers: Getting in Touch with Your Soul’s Wisdom

Placing attention on the present is about being rather than doing. Focusing your attention on the present offers the promise of loving the life and experiences you already have. When we dedicate ourselves to the present our food tastes better, we love more deeply and we can savor the peace and beauty that we have at our fingertips.

The tendency for many of us very busy people is to be thinking about what we have to do next. No wonder most of us are tired. We never really sink into our experiences.

Exercise 3a:

Create a consumer, media, negative speaking and/or junk food fast. Chose a number of days in which you will eliminate those elements which are inhibiting your attention. Commit to creating an environment in which you will pay attention.

This is an excerpt from Week 1 of The Alma Answers: Getting in Touch with Your Soul’s Wisdom

Become aware of your breath. Are you holding your breath? Is your breathing shallow? It is hard to stay mentally constricted if you are breathing deeply and fully. Most exercise, relaxation and spiritual programs emphasize the power of the breath.

If you are physically able, try to take a series of deep breaths in slowly, hold at the top for a few seconds and then release and push all the breath out. Try a 1:4:2 pattern (in for one second, hold for four seconds, and release for two seconds). You can lengthen this rhythm by trying this same ratio (2:8:4, 4:16:8).

Before you move on to other spiritual endeavors, make sure you are standing on the foundational sacred ground of gentleness and life enhancing breathing.

Exercise 1d :

Think of ways you might remind yourself to breathe. Consider painting a rock that says “Breathe”. Write the word on your calendar on days that you anticipate to be more challenging than others? Perhaps write “breathe” on an index card next to your phone. Post a photo that will remind you to breathe? Write down a few ideas here.