In this short Ask Dr. Miller segment, Dr. Emmett Miller explains the concept of "presence" as a core practice for mind‑body health. He emphasizes that the only reality is the present moment—there is no repeatable past and no fixed future—yet most people spend their time ruminating on past events or anxiously anticipating what might happen. By pausing, clearing the mind, and letting go of these thoughts, one can experience safety and freedom in the now. Miller notes that while it can be useful to plan or reflect, constantly comparing the present to past or future standards creates unnecessary stress. He invites listeners to fully attend to the current moment, a process he calls "presence," as a way to maximize the benefits of his teachings.
Welcome to Ask Dr. Miller, where Dr. Miller answers your questions about mind-body health.
Some of us, I know, have already learned the importance of pausing, clearing the mind, Letting go of the past so as to make room for the present, because the present is actually all there is. There is no past. Not even one second of the past can ever happen again. There is no future and there never even was. And yet most of us spend most of our time with thoughts about the past, or thoughts about the future, or else being controlled by thoughts about the past. Things we've been afraid of, things we've disliked, things we've been angry about, things we resent, things that have frightened us and made us feel anxious— gone. 'Cause at this moment in time, you're completely safe. There's nothing you have to do. There's nowhere you have to go. There's no problem you have to solve. At this moment in time. Maybe next week, maybe next month, maybe in 5 minutes, who knows, the building can catch on fire. And we'll have a problem. But right now there is none. So therefore you don't have to keep thinking about the past. You don't have to compare this moment with any other moment. Now where to go with that? Come back here. This is where I am. And it's not about tomorrow. Oh, I wonder if I'm gonna learn a secret that's gonna enable me to Maybe. But the busier you are wondering whether or not you're gonna be successful, whether or not this day is gonna live up to yesterday, whether or not you're gonna perform up to some particular standard— at this moment, you don't have to do it. You can do all those things. Sometimes it's important to do all those things. And sometimes it's really, really important to not do them. And you can get the most out of what I have to share today if you let yourself be here, to come into the moment, a process that I call presence.
Thanks for listening to this segment of Ask Dr. Miller. Send your questions by email to drmiller@drmiller.com. For more information on mind-body health and Dr. Miller's CDs, DVDs, and books, go to drmiller.com. That's drmiller.com.
