So, are you?
Are you safe in this moment?
I'm not talking about past or future moments. I'm talking about the one that is here now.
Don't be placated or distracted by a mind that says, "Of course I'm safe! What's the point of this question?"
Actually CHECK. Use the real time sensory systems of the body-mind in direct experience to CHECK.
LOOK AROUND. No need for labels, although they will likely come unbidden. In this moment, is it safe? No imagined scenarios of possibilities and lurking dangers require your attention; this is much simpler. Is there an immediate danger here when you stop to really look?
LISTEN CLOSELY. Again, no need for labels, but they'll probably show up. Stop and focus on all the sounds in your environment, both louder and more subtle. In this moment, is it safe here? Are you safe?
INHALE THROUGH YOUR NOSE. Does it smell safe? Did you cough and sputter due to noxious fumes, or is the air clear? Even if there is an unpleasant smell, are you still OK?
SWALLOW. Does everything taste OK in your mouth right now? Does your spit taste like spit? Again, directly sense this right now and acknowledge your experience. Does it taste safe?
FEEL YOUR BUM IN THE SEAT. Tune into the pressure of your butt in your chair/couch/bed. Allow your attention to focus on all the points where your body is making contact with something. Right now, is the furniture supporting you without question or complaint? Is your physical body safe in the space its inhabiting? Even if there are twinges of discomfort, are you OK?
We can get so caught up so easily in thought. It is very understandable that this happens, but narrative thought is only a fraction of what is available to us. When attention stays up in thought and out of direct sensory experience, we lose track of the reality of the present. We unwittingly disconnect from our bodies and abandon the moment (and ourselves). We perpetuate the conditioned belief that we are nothing but individual, separate, fragile entities, living in an unsafe world, just trying to avoid pain until we die. Obviously, that belief hurts. A lot.
When attention is focused upon your present moment sensory experience, no narrative is required (even if it shows up). Life is simple. It is in constant motion. It is waiting for you to come to it, just as you are, right now, and take a long, hard look. A deep listen. A good sniff. A taste. A feel. Show your overstimulated and overworked nervous system that there is actually no danger here. I don't know about 5 seconds from now. Neither do you. But you can check in again. And again.
Ground the body in the knowing of safety in this moment, because this one is the only one there is.
Once you've really checked it out, breathe deeply into the fact that you are truly safe, even if there is thought telling you otherwise. Spend some time in the safety of presence, even if it feels challenging or uncomfortable, and see what Life wants to show you. You may be surprised what is there to be discovered...