One of the areas of mindfulness we practice is to remember what we learned in the past and to bring it into the present moment. In order to practice that we have to be mindful of all sense foundations in the present.
For example in recovery we experience a craving sometimes after we experience a familiar smell or drive by an old place. Either way something triggers a memory and we can get stuck in the memory from the past which creates the craving for that experience again. This brings the past to the present moment experience. If we are not careful to be mindful about where we are now we can get lost in the storyline our mind creates.
Here are some tools to help with this experience. Be aware of the body sensations ask yourself why do I feel excited? What about this past sensation makes me excited? What happened before when I gave in to that excitement or craving? Was this a healthy or unhealthy experience? Can I let go of the past storyline and keep myself in the present?
It’s so easy to get caught up in the stories of our past we think we will end up with a different outcome but most of the time when we chase cravings the outcome is still unpleasant.
To truly live with mindfulness we practice being in the experience fully each moment. Accept all things in that moment and live from one experience to the next.
Dharma in Real Life 