We can't really say. This is not black and white. Sometimes when you're in a situation, it is better to reflect about what's going on. You really should think about it. Some other times, when you know that this situation is a situation you've handled before and you actually know what to do, then, fine, you can actually be in the moment for that situation. So, it will not be black and white. Now, a lot of people are on automatic pilot. Automatic pilot may include being in the moment, but it often does not include reflecting about what's going on. Being on automatic pilot can actually cause a lot of problems for many people who don't reflect.
Now with reflection, there are many different ways of doing it, but one of the methods that we teach is to ask yourself six questions when you're in a situation and you're not really sure whether you should do it or not. The six questions are very simple: Is it beneficial? Is it not? For me? For others? Now? Or in the future? If the answers to these six questions end up being five, yes, and one, no, with the proper one being, no, then you can go that way. But if you get too many no's about it being beneficial, then you might want to hesitate and reflect some more about whether you really want to do that action or not. So at times, it can be extremely important to reflect before you do something.
I'll add a little bit more to that. For those of you who have not gotten the email book that I edited, "Twenty Suttas," you may like to get it. One of the suttas that is in there is about a teaching the Buddha gave to his son, Rahula. Rahula was only 7 years old, and the Buddha actually encouraged him to always reflect, before h doing something, before saying something, even before thinking something, if he can, about whether it would be beneficial or not. The Buddha didn't stop there. He said, "Rahula, while you're doing an action, reflect on whether it's beneficial or not. While you're speaking, while you're thinking, if you can, reflect on whether it's beneficial or not." He didn't stop there. He said, "After you do something, reflect on it: Was it beneficial? Was it not? After you say something, after you think something, if you can, reflect on whether it was beneficial or not." So, for his son, who was 7 years old, he was stressing the importance of reflection.