The same Sanskrit word has been translated in two different, even contradictory ways. Mindfulness means paying attention to the present, while memory is about remembering the past; in religion, the “great sin is forgetting.”

It is a spiritual truism that it is important to “be here, now” and not drift off into the past or the future. But our spiritual traditions also emphasize the importance of remembering, providing us with seemingly contradictory advice.

Does living fully in the present preclude memory? Would the enlightened state, which would entail the direct perception of reality as it is, involve shutting down of concepts and emotional responses derived from the past?

Are there downsides to the goal of living fully in the present? In this podcast, Lama Marut reviews the possible objections to the “It’s Like This Now” mantra.

The “It’s Like This Now” mantra helps us to pay attention and be grateful when things are going well, but the mental afflictions are all aligned against contentment with the present.

Living fully in the present is the true goal of a spiritual life. The “reality mantra” of “It’s Like This Now” helps keep us in the present, because it’s always “like this now.”

Reciting sacred mantras protect our minds from the usual monologue going on in there.

Chanting and meditating on “om” takes us beyond the intelligible and into the unfathomable.

“One becomes liberated through sound,” says one Indian text. In this podcast, Lama Marut reviews the “sonic spectrum,” moving from language to meaningless but powerful phonetics to utter silence.

In this special one-hour podcast, Lama Marut suggests some spiritual guidelines for acting with courage and sanity in response to the politics of fear and hate.