Arthur John Rosen • Therapeutic Reflexologist & Craniosacral Therapist – I’m not a medical doctor — please read my full disclosure before acting on anything here.
I provide natural therapies that support the body’s natural healing abilities, and share what I’ve experienced and witnessed along the way
How a Yorkie’s Face Brought Me Into the Present Moment
Staying in the moment is difficult. This is how I did it today.
I was in the gym pool a few days ago, doing water aerobics, when it came to me, a “brainwave” — the kind that only seems to arrive when you’re moving through water and the world goes quiet for a while.
I was trying, as I often do, to stay present. Not to drift into tomorrow’s schedule or yesterday’s conversation. Or what might go wrong. Or, be careful — don’t risk that. Or, you are not ready. Just to be there, in the water, in the moment. But the mind wanders. It always does. Instructions like “stay present” are a little like telling someone not to think about a pink elephant. The moment you try, you’re already gone.
And then I thought of Bella.
Bella is our Yorkshire Terrier. Small, bright-eyed, and absolutely convinced that she understands every word I say. When I speak to her quietly — “Bella Bella Bella,” I say, rolling it like Italian — she fixes me with a look of such complete attention that it stops you in your tracks.
She doesn’t check her phone. She doesn’t think about dinner. She is simply, entirely, magnificently — there. Looking at you as though you are the most interesting thing in her universe.
Whilst in the pool, I brought that face to mind. That small, earnest, completely present face. And just like that — I was back. Not thinking about presence. Actually present.
If this is new to you
If you’ve never tried to “be present” or found the whole idea a little vague, you’re not alone. Most of us were never taught it. We tend to be, either, juggling yesterday’s baggage, or tomorrows worries, or we were taught to plan, to anticipate, to stay one step ahead. Being fully in the moment can feel almost irresponsible at first — as though you’re neglecting something. You’re not. You’re simply giving your mind a few seconds off. That’s not a luxury. It turns out it’s a necessity.
What does this tell us?
Mindfulness teachers will tell you to focus on your breath, (I have often done that with patients), or on the sensation of your feet on the ground. These are good techniques. But they are neutral — and neutrality can be hard to hold onto when the mind is restless.
What works better, at least for me, is a memory that carries warmth. Something small and true and emotionally alive. Bella’s face does that. It bypasses the thinking mind entirely and drops me, without effort, into the present.
I have since learnt that meditators sometimes call this an “object of refuge” — a reliable place the mind can return to when it wanders. Yours doesn’t have to be a dog. It might be a grandchild’s laugh. A garden at a particular time of day. A cup of tea held in both hands.
It just needs to be one true thing that makes you feel quietly, completely alive.
Why this matters more than it might seem
I’ve noticed over the years that the body holds what the mind won’t put down. Learning to be present — really present — turned out to be part of my own healing, not separate from it. The restless mind and the suffering body are rarely strangers to each other. Quieting one has a way of giving the other permission to rest.
Your invitation
Before you go to sleep tonight, or first thing tomorrow morning — find your Bella. The face, the place, the moment that pulls you effortlessly into now. Hold it for ten seconds. Notice what happens.
You don’t need a pool. You don’t need a course. You just need one small, true thing — and the willingness to let it bring you home.
Arthur’s book, How to Be Free of IBD, is available on Amazon.
arthur@lifetimehealth.co.za 082 456 0155 · lwww.lifetimehealth.co.za
Registered: Craniosacral therapist & Therapeutic reflexologist
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I share my journey and what I have watched become possible. I am not a medical doctor and nothing I write or say is medical advice.
The experiences shared here are offered to illustrate what is possible — not as a guaranteed blueprint or medical prescription for your specific condition. Nothing here is a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your healthcare team before making any major changes to your treatment.