Chapter Three
The Importance of the Now
As soon as Andy was out of sight Janet asked, “Do you understand why Andy places such importance on not going into the past and the importance of the now?”
“I don’t know, Janet, but I have a strange feeling that there’s more to this than meets the eye. We’ve explained to Andy time and time again that we no longer take clients back into their negative life and how successful that has been for us. Yet he still talks to us about the importance of the now.”
“Why do you suppose that is?” Janet asked. “Do you think he doesn’t see that we’re already aware of this?”
“I have a funny feeling that Andy is fully aware of what we know about our thoughts,” I replied, “and right now I have the feeling that he is about to give us a talk on what we don’t know.”
Andy returned to the table carrying another round of lemonades and re-seated himself. No sooner was he back than Janet asked, “Andy, why do you put so much importance in not getting caught up in the past?”
He looked straight into Janet’s eyes and asked. “Why do you think many of the wise throughout time have tried to explain to us the importance of living in the now?”
“I don’t know,” she muttered in frustration.
“Truthfully, I’ve often wondered that myself,” I answered. “As a matter of fact, when I travelled through India and Nepal, many of the teachers talked about the importance of living in the now, but I could never understand its importance. Andy, why do you think the wise put so much value on the now?”
Andy took a sip of his lemonade before he replied, “Because, now is really all there is or ever will be. Now is every moment of every day in perfect motion.”
His words surprised me. I felt that I had to question his certainty. I asked him, “How can you say, now is every moment of every day in perfect motion, when all over the world there are such horrible things happening? What about the war in Vietnam, for example, where such needless suffering is going on right now? And what about the assassinations of innocent people, presidents and leaders, people who try to give the world some hope?”
There seemed to be so much disenchantment in the world that I really hoped that Andy would come up with an answer that I could understand and accept.
Andy scratched his head thoughtfully. After a pause, to my surprise he replied,
“Now is not a thing that is tangible.
Now is neither yesterday nor tomorrow.
Now is a fleeting moment in time and is completely neutral.
Now is all there really is or ever will be.
“What you have to realize is, living in the now is living without negative thoughts from past traumas contaminating your thought system, thoughts that prevent you from seeing what-is, instead of what-isn’t.
“It is the now that takes you from living in the darkness of yesterday's negative memories
And turns the darkness into light.
Remember, my friend,
Darkness cannot survive in the midst of light
And living in the now is that light.”
The gardener’s words were so far beyond my immediate comprehension that I felt I would definitely need time to think about what he had just said. But despite that, I had to admit there was an undeniably beautiful feeling present; it was the same feeling that I had experienced the last time I was with Andy I didn’t know what I was learning, but I was sure that I was picking up something, and it felt wonderful.
Janet, eyes shining, blurted out that she just had to ask one more question. “What did you mean when you said, ‘preventing us from seeing what-is, instead of what-isn’t’?”
Andy chuckled at her excitement. “The way I see it, Luv, if your head is filled with negative memories and unhappy historical events, they override what is really happening today and never allow you to see today with any clarity. I can guarantee you that while you look through so much ghostly contamination, you will never, never, know the beauty of living in the now.”
Janet rubbed her chin as though that would help her to understand. Noticing her bewilderment, Andy said, “I can see that the penny hasn’t dropped yet.”
“You’re right, Andy, I’m afraid I still don’t get what you mean.”
In a soft voice Andy suggested, “Maybe we could try another tack. Let me try to explain it this way. People’s past negative experiences are not the problem; the problem lies in constantly thinking about them.
“If you remember, this is what I tried to tell you the last time you were here in England, that we live in a world governed by our own thoughts. Our thoughts create the reality that we, personally, experience. This is why I say the secret to all happiness and all social problems lies deep within the recesses of our own inner knowledge, waiting to be uncovered. And this is why it is very important not to be afraid to change your mind and see a more positive life. I am sure in your life you have met stubborn people who claim with great pride that once they make up their mind about something, they never give in and change it; or others who won’t change their minds or apologize for some wrong they have done, because they believe that an apology is a sign of weakness.”
I laughed out loud. “Almost every day of my life,” I acknowledged ruefully.
Janet said that she, too, regularly ran into this problem with stubborn people who couldn’t, or wouldn’t, apologize even if their life depended on it. “As far as I’m concerned,” she smiled, “having the graciousness to say you are sorry is usually a sign of courage, not to mention a big relief.”
“That is very wise of you, Janet,” Andy said, patting her arm, “and I agree with you one hundred percent. One has to bend with the wind and be sufficiently flexible to change, otherwise you will always be a prisoner of your own innocently negative way of thinking.
“Again, I say to you, the secret to such change lies in the proper use of Mind, Consciousness and Thought. When used properly, they are the mystical trio that will lead you to the knowledge you seek.”
As Andy said these words, an unbelievable feeling welled up within me and when I looked over at Janet, I was not really surprised to see her face full of emotion, her eyes brimming with tears. The notion that there really was hope for all my clients who were looking for help overwhelmed me. I knew that Janet felt the same. She voiced just what I was thinking. “Wouldn’t it give so many people hope if they could only understand that simple statement. I still don’t understand; it’s more of a feeling.”
“I know what you mean Janet, I’m in the same boat as you.”
Andy pushed his plate aside, got up and walked to the edge of the courtyard, apparently totally preoccupied with the climbing roses that were spilling toward us over the low stone wall. “Aren’t these wonderful?” he commented. “Whoever is looking after this garden really cares and it shows. It does my heart good to see plants loved and cared for this way”
Andy returned to the table, lowered his long frame into his chair, then asked, “How is your other friend, Peter, getting on these days?”
“I’m sorry to tell you that Peter had a nervous breakdown about two months ago and gave up on his profession. He’s now following some guru in the Nevada desert, on a search for Spiritual Truth.”
I told him that over the past several months Peter’s expertise had been called on regularly in various trials, until he had gradually become a professional witness.
“What, exactly, is a professional witness? I didn’t know there was such a thing.”