What is Presence?
“ Presence is an invisible quality of being, a vibrating, humming expression of aliveness.”
Presence is an invisible quality of being. A vibrating, humming expression of aliveness. Presence is a field, a sea of energy waving and dancing endlessly. Presence is the peace of being. Presence is each particle of seemingly separate existence shimmering with the light of awareness in the simple knowing of its source. This shimmering light of knowing is an inherent emanation from the source within. This knowing is quiet, certain, undiluted and free of any opposites.
Presence is consciousness experienced in and as all things. Presence is the recognition of the inherent goodness of existence. Presence is spirit moving through and as all form. Presence is present. Presence is a trust in the exact shape of our immediate experience. Presence is unitive, evoking our knowing of oneness.
When we sit in presence with each other so much is possible. Our pace is usually slowed down. Our analytical mind softened and available. With our bodies settled as much as they can be, we notice the vibrating sense of aliveness along our spine, where our body meets the chair or ground and all around. Our breath easy and free in its own rhythm.
When we sit like this in presence, and give our attention to it wholeheartedly, we are inviting presence, this vibrating intelligence of life to lead the way. Unexpected energies, feelings, capacities, insights, and endless streams of experience show up to teach us, guide us, open us, encourage us, love us, and impart to us the joyous news of our interconnectedness and wholeness. Here, the labels that we’ve crafted for each other get dissolved, and we see from an unconditioned innocence. We’ve just been caught in a false and fearful perception of ourselves, a sense that we are separate and disconnected from the whole and therefore access to our inherent innocence and peace has been obscured.
Many of us experience presence out in nature or with animals, or in simple moments when no one is around. Yet this presence is not exclusive to any person, place, experience or thing. Presence is ever-present, always available here and now. Presence is our comforter. Presence is a profound resource anywhere we are and anywhere we go.
Many times if we have a lot of undigested or un-integrated emotion, rigidly held concepts, beliefs, perceptions of ourselves, each other and the world, presence isn’t as available to us experientially. And if it is available, in a flash it can seem to come and go. The beauty about presence is that if we can learn to listen with the whole of our body and our being, listen through feeling, and an inner quieter sense, all seeming impediments to experiencing presence are released. Presence itself becomes the faculty that sees, digests, cares for, loves and supports us back into wholeness. After a while we begin to notice that these impediments themselves are doorways into greater presence. By listening deeply, presence calls us to learn how to hold the content of our minds and in that the way is open for presence to take up residence in our lives.
