Back to the Present and the Critical Understandings for Mindfulness
Introduction
backtothepresent is a program created by Wayne Johnson, MD under the honorconnor.org not-for-profit organization. Its mission is to teach mindfulness and self-awareness to adolescents and young adults. According to the project’s YouTube channel, the program exists to raise awareness about the mental-health challenges facing young people and provide video references that convey CRITICAL UNDERSTANDINGS to help participants experience less ANXIETY and become more mindful and present.
At the heart of backtothepresent is a Mindfulness Mantra, which reminds participants that they can be consciously aware of their actions, feelings, and thoughts and freely choose how to use their time and energy wisely. This mantra frames the program’s CRITICAL UNDERSTANDINGS—visual models and concepts designed to help young people cultivate mindfulness and live fully in the present.
The following is an overview of these understandings, showing how human experiences and capacities can be balanced to promote mental and emotional well-being.
Our Three Gifts: Physical, Emotional & Spiritual
The first CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING emphasizes that humans possess three primary Gifts: physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. According to Lewis University’s wellness program, wellness is a lifestyle of continuous discovery that fosters behaviors and habits promoting holistic health.
backtothepresent encourages participants to:
Observe how their Gifts manifest through actions, feelings, and thoughts.
Challenge themselves to freely choose what to do, feel, or think next.
Exercise patience in learning how to use their Gifts wisely, given the limited time and energy available in life.
Honor their Gifts by listening to their bodies, regulating emotions, and setting clear intentions aligned with productivity, peace, and purpose, or connection to something larger than themselves.
Limited Resources: Time & Energy
Time and energy are finite. As Joshua Becker notes, we receive only one life, with limited days and resources, emphasizing the importance of focusing on meaningful relationships and experiences. backtothepresent teaches young people to use these resources intentionally, prioritizing growth, connection, and fulfillment rather than distractions.
Manifestations: Actions, Feelings & Thoughts
Mindfulness requires noticing the link between actions, feelings, and thoughts. Samara Anderson (Vermont Bar Journal) explains that self-awareness allows individuals to interpret their inner experience objectively and respond healthily.
backtothepresent participants learn to:
Observe their behaviors without judgment.
Understand how their inner states influence others.
Respond thoughtfully rather than reacting impulsively.
Unique Abilities: Conscious Awareness & Free Choice
Humans have the remarkable ability to monitor their internal state and make choices. According to Self-Determination Theory, self-determined individuals feel greater control over their outcomes.
backtothepresent encourages participants to cultivate conscious awareness and exercise free choice, aligning their behaviors with their values and aspirations.
Satisfactions: Needs, Wants & Desires
Understanding the distinction between needs, wants, and desires helps participants prioritize what matters most:
Needs are essential for survival (food, safety, shelter) and bring contentment.
Wants reflect preferences beyond survival, often producing fleeting happiness.
Desires involve deeper longings aligned with values, relationships, and purpose, resulting in lasting joy.
Recognizing this hierarchy enables individuals to satisfy essentials first while evaluating whether their wants and desires align with long-term well-being.
Emotional States: Contentment, Happiness & Joyfulness
backtothepresent differentiates three emotional states:
Contentment: Peaceful satisfaction from having essential needs met.
Happiness: A temporary feeling triggered by external circumstances or accomplishments.
Joy: A deeper, enduring state arising from purpose, meaningful relationships, and alignment with values.
Happiness may come and go, but joy persists when individuals cultivate strong relationships and live intentionally.
Sources of Knowledge: Instinct, Intellect & Intuition
Participants learn to balance three Sources of Knowledge:
Instinct: Innate, goal-directed behaviors that ensure survival.
Intellect: Rational, conscious reasoning developed through study and practice.
Intuition: Subconscious understanding, often accessed through reflection or observation.
Balancing these sources helps young people make thoughtful, holistic decisions.
Elements of Our Psyche: Id, Ego & Superego
Sigmund Freud’s model highlights three key components:
Id: Drives basic instincts and desires, ensuring survival and contentment.
Ego: Mediates between impulses and ideals, navigating reality and achieving goals aligned with values.
Superego: Embodies moral standards and aspirations, guiding actions that cultivate joy and meaningful relationships.
Awareness of these parts fosters mindful responses instead of purely instinctive reactions.
Obligations: Awareness, Challenge, Patience & Honor
Mindful living involves upholding four Obligations:
Awareness: Being present and observing thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Challenge: Embracing obstacles as opportunities for growth.
Patience: Developing skills and using Gifts effectively over time.
Honor: Respecting oneself and others to minimize suffering and act with integrity.
Agreements: Productivity, Peace & Purpose
backtothepresent encourages participants to commit to an internal Agreement balancing:
Productivity: Using physical Gifts efficiently toward meaningful goals.
Peace: Cultivating emotional stability and harmony in relationships.
Purpose: Directing thoughts and actions with clarity and intention toward fulfilling life goals.
This balance supports presence and prevents burnout.
Intuitive Attributes: Emotions, Behaviors & Responses
Participants learn to observe the links between emotions, behaviors, and responses. Mindfulness teaches that emotions influence actions and that awareness can guide more constructive, thoughtful behavior.
Decision-Making: Impulse Control, Loving Intention & Implementation
backtothepresent presents a three-step decision-making process:
Controlling Impulses (Physical Gift & Id): Recognize instinctual urges, pause before reacting, and plan conscious actions.
Setting a Loving Intention (Emotional Gift & Ego): Align actions with values rather than outcomes, using reflection and patience.
Implementing One Decision at a Time (Spiritual Gift & Superego): Execute choices mindfully, honoring intuition, moral principles, and long-term desires.
This process integrates Gifts, CRITICAL UNDERSTANDINGS, and Tools of Loving Intention to cultivate contentment, happiness, and joy.
Conclusion
backtothepresent frames mindfulness as a holistic practice integrating all aspects of human life. By recognizing physical, emotional, and spiritual Gifts, managing Limited Resources, observing Manifestations, understanding Satisfactions and Emotional States, balancing Sources of Knowledge and Elements of the Psyche, upholding Obligations, committing to Agreements, and making mindful decisions, participants learn to live intentionally.
Guided by the Mindfulness Mantra, these CRITICAL UNDERSTANDINGS equip young people to cultivate awareness, presence, and a TOOLBOX FOR A JOYFUL LIFE.