There is no barrier. There never was a barrier.
A line from Osho that I often repeat to myself.
Sometimes, I'm in panic mode.
I haven't slept enough. I have an obligation I can't avoid. Something hurts. Etc.
I've gotten myself into this mess and I need to get out of it.
There's a kind of underlying guilt: I see it as my fault. I deserve what's happening to me.
In those moments, being present is very hard.
Meditating or finding clarity isn't the priority.
No time. No bandwidth.
"First, I need to fix the problem."
It's for those moments that I keep this line close at hand:
There is no barrier. There never was a barrier.
In other words: no obstacle is stopping me from being present right now, whatever the situation.
It doesn't require any work, any time, any training.
By becoming aware of the emotions running through me, I become present instantly.
No need to meditate for hours. No need to "take a moment". I cross over in a split second.
As if I took a step to the side and, with a simple decision, I could observe my emotions from a distance.
Suddenly, I'm no longer swept away by the current. I see the flow.
The panic is still there. The anxiety hasn't disappeared. But they no longer overwhelm me.
That's what presence is: this step to the side that changes the perspective.
It's not chasing away the emotions you don't want.
It's not feeling as free and available as on the "good" days.
It's not silencing intrusive thoughts to find clarity.
It's simply becoming aware of what's there.
The stress. The confusion. The sadness. The good and the bad.
And it's absolutely immediate. Absolutely effortless.
It's a decision. One you can make at any moment.
Because there is no barrier. There never was.