For most of my life I thought Buddhist Monks didn’t think about the next day. Or simply weren’t supposed to, due to the state of always living in the present. Always centering yourself. However there is a flaw to this thinking. The monk does think to the future and to the past at some points. When the monk wakes up he will begin a meditation right away in Theravada Buddhism. He will think about death. How can one think about death without thinking to the future or to the past? The concept of reincarnation deals with the past and the future. Always preparing for the cycle.

Well it might be possible but you have to be trained in not thinking about the death from your past through family, pets, friends, or even plants. And vice versa when dealing with the future. I’m just saying how do you think about death is important. This moment is a gift. This time of peace and centering is all a gift.

Also when the monk goes to sleep at night. He goes to sleep early and is already prepared to wake up in the morning early to his rounds in the neighborhood. I spent the majority of my 20’s not realizing this paradox of the Buddhist Monk. I spent most Fridays truly living in the moment, drink after drink. I thought I should be living in the present. But, I wasn’t preparing myself for the next day to be able to live in the present more. That maybe the key to this paradox. It is truly impossible to live in the present at all times. Even some plants are preparing for fall and winter I suppose. The key is to practice in the present more by preparing for the next day. Learning from your mistakes in the past so you can live in the present more today, the next day, and throughout your life.