I find “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali” to be one of the most inspiring books to dive deeper into meditation, and I love Maharishi Sadasiva Isham’s translation.

“Atha yoga anusasanam” he translates to “Now, the Teaching of Yoga”.
MSI beautifully describes his interpretation of this Sutra:
“Therefore the Science of Yoga begins and ends in the present moment. Everything to be understood about the transformation of life from suffering to permanent happiness, from failure to success, from ignorance to enlightenment is to be found in the present instant of time.”

The most effective way to find and stay in the present moment I know of, is through meditation. In meditation we can learn both to be present here and now, in what we are experiencing in our lives, in a way of bringing our awareness to what is in front of us now – instead of worrying about tomorrow or being caught in the actions of our past. Another benefit of meditation, which I also deeply appreciate, is to get in touch with and experience the still presence within – this inner experience is beautiful. Since most of us are used to thinking and letting our thoughts cloud our perception of this presence, we more often need tools to get us out of our heads and into our presence. This is where meditation can bring us back here and now.

Several studies have now shown that meditation, amongst other benefits, is reducing the stress levels of the body, lowering the blood pressure, balancing the hormones and even increasing the grey matter of the brain: www.washingtonpost.com