We hear people talking about "presence," "mindfulness," "consciousness" or "being present," and I want to describe what that means in simple terms, and how it can help us in our lives. The idea of being present is not new - has been practiced by many spiritualists for thousands of years. For purposes of this blog, I will call it "presence" or "being present."
To be in a state of presence, means that a person is fully focused on where they are and what they are doing. Many experience this presence when they work in their gardens, build models, exercise, meditate, practice yoga, or engage in an activity that allows for a single-minded focus. While in the state of presence, we lose track of time. We feel an intense aliveness and peace. You can probably think of some activities you engage in where you are very present.
The really great news is that you can learn how to get into a state of presence any time you want, doing any activity. After making a list of some of the activities you already do where you feel present - like the examples above - take a few moments to appreciate how you feel during those activities. Then begin where ever you are! If there is laundry to be done, or dishes, or paperwork or work to be done at your job, pay attention to the movement of your hands, the sensations in your body - focus intensely on whatever it is you are doing. If you are walking around, pay attention to your feet as they lift off the ground, the pressure as you place your foot on the ground, how do your muscles contract or move as you reach or lift. Focus intensely on your movements. Are your eyes blinking, are you bending your arms, closing or opening your hands, can you feel your heart beating, is your breathing fast or slow? Practice this as much as you can!
What you will find is that over time, you begin to notice how less you "react" to things that used to "stress you out." Instead, you pause, and can respond from a much higher - and less volatile - place. Some of the best litigators, doctors, parents, teachers that I interact with have this presence figured out - at least in their professional lives (they may not be so present in other areas of their lives). Just like any skill, the more you practice the better you get. And, as an aside, when I do readings, I am in a state of complete presence. I have to use a clock to keep me to the time limit of the appointment, otherwise I would go on and on!
To be in a state of presence, means that a person is fully focused on where they are and what they are doing. Many experience this presence when they work in their gardens, build models, exercise, meditate, practice yoga, or engage in an activity that allows for a single-minded focus. While in the state of presence, we lose track of time. We feel an intense aliveness and peace. You can probably think of some activities you engage in where you are very present.
The really great news is that you can learn how to get into a state of presence any time you want, doing any activity. After making a list of some of the activities you already do where you feel present - like the examples above - take a few moments to appreciate how you feel during those activities. Then begin where ever you are! If there is laundry to be done, or dishes, or paperwork or work to be done at your job, pay attention to the movement of your hands, the sensations in your body - focus intensely on whatever it is you are doing. If you are walking around, pay attention to your feet as they lift off the ground, the pressure as you place your foot on the ground, how do your muscles contract or move as you reach or lift. Focus intensely on your movements. Are your eyes blinking, are you bending your arms, closing or opening your hands, can you feel your heart beating, is your breathing fast or slow? Practice this as much as you can!
What you will find is that over time, you begin to notice how less you "react" to things that used to "stress you out." Instead, you pause, and can respond from a much higher - and less volatile - place. Some of the best litigators, doctors, parents, teachers that I interact with have this presence figured out - at least in their professional lives (they may not be so present in other areas of their lives). Just like any skill, the more you practice the better you get. And, as an aside, when I do readings, I am in a state of complete presence. I have to use a clock to keep me to the time limit of the appointment, otherwise I would go on and on!
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