The Mystery of the Present Moment

By Sevaka Ishaya

The present moment can feel like uncharted territory, especially when we are so used to engaging with – and identifying as – our thoughts. From here, there is little or no recognition that we have a choice to experience life differently, or that there is something different to choose, let alone a mystery to embrace, to experience, to live.

Those familiar thought patterns can seem comforting. They feel safe, predictable, and easy to return to. Yet living life through them is not truly living; it is a kind of second-hand experience – a filtered version of life that lacks an appreciation of the depth, sacredness, and beauty of the present moment. When I live in thought, I miss the intrigue and the magic of what it truly means to inhabit Now.

To me, a mystery is something that inspires and fills me with wonder and awe. What is the present moment? What would it mean to experience it? What would it be like to live my life from there? Could it help me let go of some of the negative beliefs I hold about myself and life that prevent me from experiencing peace and happiness?

The mind constantly tries to label, understand, and explain what is happening. But in doing so, it turns the living reality of the present moment into an idea. Labels and concepts are not reality – they are, at best, mental representations. They can never replace direct experience.

Innocence Paves The Way For Exploring The Present Moment

This became clear to me when I learned The Ishayas’ Ascension meditation. My teacher invited me to be innocent – to let go of everything I thought I knew about meditation and to meet the practice with a completely open mind. Looking back, I can see that much of the magic of Ascension lies right here, in innocence. It is the willingness to arrive with a clean slate, because only from there can we truly embrace the Mystery.

So what happens when you pause and simply notice what is being presented to you right now?

At first, I found that this required courage. I had become so enamoured with my thinking mind that stepping beyond it felt unfamiliar, even unsettling. But each time I was willing to explore, something remarkable revealed itself – not as an idea, but as a direct recognition of who I truly am: stillness, peace, contentment, and love.

There was a time in my life when I was struggling with depression and anxiety. After practising Ascension meditation for a couple of years, I had the opportunity to attend the Mastery of the Self course – six months of meditation and tuition. I felt completely stuck. I knew I could not continue living the way I had been, but I was also afraid to commit to something new.

And yet, when I looked honestly at my life, the only thing that was truly supporting me was my practice of Ascension meditation.

So I made a decision: to embrace the Mystery. To be curious. To take a step into the unknown and trust, even without certainty about the outcome. From that moment on, everything began to change – and I have never looked back.

Loosening The Grip Of Judgement And Fear

What I have discovered since then is that curiosity transforms my relationship with the present moment. When I approach it with openness, a natural sense of wonder, and even excitement, begins to arise. And in my experience, it is impossible to be both innocent and judgemental or fearful at the same time.

This was a profound realisation for me.

Had I really found a way to loosen the grip of judgement and fear, and instead experience what it truly means to be alive? And, of course, I had.

There is something incredibly powerful about bringing innocence and gentle curiosity into meditation. Surrender begins to happen naturally – not as something forced, but as a by-product. Old habits and patterns that once felt so fixed start to fall away with surprising ease.

And if it is true that the way we do one thing is the way we do everything, then this raises a beautiful question: where else in life can we bring this same innocence?

I have found that it extends far beyond meditation – into relationships, into work, into conversations, into the smallest, most ordinary moments. The practice of The Ishayas’ Ascension has allowed me to witness life as it unfolds and to meet it without judgement – with a quiet openness to whatever arises. This is embracing the Mystery.

Walk Your Path, And Illuminate The Way For Others

I have always been inspired by explorers – people who are willing to walk their own path, to follow what lights them up, and, in doing so, illuminate the way for others. And yet, in a very real sense, this is exactly what we do each time we choose to meet the present moment fully. We step beyond the familiar noise of the mind and discover what is actually here: a pure, direct, unfiltered experience of Now.

What followed for me became a journey of self-discovery – not of the small, limited version of me, but of something far more expansive: an experience of stillness, peace, and Oneness.

When I stop and simply observe, I disengage from the time-bound patterns of the mind. In that space, I am free to receive whatever the present moment has to offer. Since learning to Ascend, my appreciation for life has deepened profoundly. There is so much beauty – in nature, in those around me, and in the countless expressions of the universe.

For me, the Mystery of the present moment feels like an invitation.

An invitation to discover the truth of who I really am. 

An invitation to experience stillness, peace, and joy. 

An invitation to truly embrace life – not as a nice-sounding concept, but as a living, breathing reality.