When I was growing up, I used to swim a lot. I lived in a condominium that gave me access to a pool. I used to do around 20-30 laps every session that I swam. My mum would be sitting there, with a magazine or a book in her hand, giving me company. One day, as I was swimming, I observed the sensation of the moment - stroke, stroke, breath, stroke, stroke and I lost the object of focus. I just was. A dozen laps turned into a few dozen, which turned into 50. 60. 70. I can faintly hear my mum asking me something, but I'm flowing through water in that moment. Somehow, through observation of the sensation, I'd exited my body. Around lap 80, knowing I can continue to go for longer but my mother getting restless, I exit the pool.
I came across a similar sensation recently which unlocked this memory that I had in my head from when I was 11. I was practicing vipasanna and during this period, I remember sitting down for more than 12-15 minutes made me restless. But, as I observe the sensations - breath in. breath out. muscle soreness in left lower back, the moments turn into seconds, minutes and I feel this unstoppable force of flow. I am somehow lost in the moment but also, paradoxically, truly present at the same time.
Importantly, what allowed me to achieve this state in both accounts was observation without judgement. Judgement leads to a reaction and a reaction leads to dropping the object of now.
I want to live to be present. Any moment that I can think back upon that gave me a tremendous amount of happiness was a moment in which I was present. My interaction with technology was at a minimum. My time with people, with loved ones, friends, family was at the core of the memory.
At any moment, if I wish to ease the moment's passing or to enjoy the moment deeply, observation is the ultimate weapon in my arsenal.