The Power of Presence

I wish I could remember the very first time I heard about the concept of being present. More than likely, I read about it. I wonder what that version of Me thought or felt in that moment. Did it click then, upon my introduction to it? Or did it click later? I know one thing, it’s been clicking over and over again ever since. 

2013 stands out to Me as the start of my inner journey. Well, the start of my conscious awareness of my inner journey, I should say. From then on, I started seeing all kinds of signs, dabbling in different and new practices, but one message has remained consistent: be present. Be in the space You are in. In the space You are in, right at this moment, You are need of nothing. Everything is as it should be. 

It’s interesting how difficult it is to be fully with your body’s experience and out of your mind’s, but I’ve come to liken this practice to a cure. As a person who has been challenged by depression and anxiety, I know this to be true for Me. I’ve practiced mindfulness and presence for years now, and it still feels nearly impossible to tap into when I’m depressed or anxious. However, if I can do it even for a moment, it’s like turning on a light all of sudden, after hours of darkness. It makes calm of everything. 

I have many Loved Ones who just haven’t wrapped their minds around the concept, no matter how much I preach it. I’m working on adding some acceptance to my presence, so I can better Love people as they come. Nonetheless, I trust that the cure that is presence will make itself available to everyone as they need it. It really does help like nothing else. 

You may be wondering, “what does it even mean to be present? What does it look or feel like?” I’m glad You asked! The easiest way for Me to describe it is getting yourself from your mind to your body. Our minds are rattling off thoughts all day long, and so much of that time is spent with us just caught up in the cyclone of those thoughts. When You reach for presence, You shift your attention to the experience You’re having in and on your body. 

This could look like taking deep breaths, and choosing a point in your body to focus on its experience with those breaths; feeling the air pass through your nose, tuning in to the rise and fall of your tummy and chest, etc. This can be mindfulness of different activities. For instance, when I wash dishes, I am focused on the sensation it gives my hands, and the sight of the bubbles on each dish, the sound of the water, even. 

Our bodies are equipped with all we need to go from being not present to present. You don’t have to be anywhere special or doing any particular thing. My favorite part about this is that when I really tune into the moment I’m in, I notice that many of my so-called needs are of the mind and not the body. I notice that I’m actually fine without whatever thing my brain may have been fixated on. Furthermore, my body tells Me my real needs. 

I can feel it when I’m hungry or thirsty, my body tells Me when I’m tired or need time with or without others. Presence has helped Me recognize how intricate and perfect our bodies really are. I can trust my body’s cues and only actively use my mind when thought is necessary. 

Spending more of my time in this way, in my body and not in my mind, results in more overall satisfaction and happiness. I’ve also come to appreciate my experiences more because I can see and feel them for how they really are. Most things are much more beautiful and miraculous than we give them credit for. We only know that when we give more of our attention to the moments we live. 

Our brains and minds are brilliant, but they are still rather primitive. Most of our brains’ function is to aide in our survival, but we are in much less danger than our brains would have us believe. We can settle into the present, and give our past and future focusing minds a rest. This way, when we do need to problem solve or strategize, perhaps we’ll be even sharper. 

I hope we all continue to learn the value of presence, for ourselves, first and foremost; but also using that practice to be better present for the people You Love, as well. Being fully immersed in the present space is a gift that gives to all involved.