Now that you’ve had time to play with the willingness factor, let’s dive into fresh water and identify key numéro dos… PRESENCE.

So, what exactly is presence?  As K.LITE vocab ascertains:

Presence – the act of surrendering to the Now; attendance to Being;  God in Action.

Alternate jargon:  the Master Within, He/She That Governs, the Keynote Address.

Hold up! God?! Where?!

Right in front of me, bro.  (“Literal” student slowly gazes to his left, then his right – scared, but excited with what he might see.)

Is this some kind of joke to you?

If you’re looking for phenomena, your search will continue.  That, God is not.  In all honesty, I should have said:

In front of me, behind me, beside me, and all around me.  In front of you, behind you, beside you, and all around you.

I get it, we’re all God.  Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yep.  And if you shift a speck of a speck of that sarcasm and the wall of fear it hides behind into your Presence, man, you’ll be a force to reckon with.

But yes, God, Love, Light, Greatness, Presence, we ALL have it. It’s in the front row, the back row, the janitor’s closet, you name it.

FINE PRINT:  We’re only God in action if we exercise that gift (refer to: free will.)
hello

PRESENCE 101

Imagine the opening credits to a Hollywood film.

Before things begin, the production company announces Such n’ Such Pictures presents Such n’ Such Movie.  Typically, it’s a hint of what’s to come.

I analogize this to presence. Try the following exercise:

(Insert your name HERE) Pictures/Productions

PRESENTS…

(Insert your gift to the world/Soul purpose/Radiance HERE)

E.g.  T.J.O. Productions presents Keepin’ It Light

Well done. Welcome to presence!

Presence is our second-by-second production to the world. Like a walking, talking movie poster of sorts. Better yet, a movie trailer. Its soul purpose – yes soul, not sole (that’s fishy business) – is to pump our spiritual gas tank as a means to fund our earthly experience.

The only difference, however, is we can rewrite and/or redirect our presence (aka our production) at any time. On demand. Free of charge. No hidden fees.  Or monthly inflation (ahem… Netflix… excuse me.)

Disclosure:  Be careful not to practice presence to be seen by others in a particular way. Unlike the movies, this isn’t for show. That’s not true presence. It’s a facade and an outer motive. Presence operates from the inside-out.  (As an alternate analogy, consider a radio.  Here, presence is your signal:  felt, but not seen.)

Now, why do we call this state presence?  Two reasons:

1.  It’s born and bred in the present (the only moment that exists)

and

2.  Like a present, it’s our gift to the world.

Your presence is all good things rolled into one – like a spiritual doobie of sorts (liberal toking permitted) – love, patience, gratitude, kindness, compassionate command, truth, self-care, (fill in the blank).  It’s vibrato hits the high note.  Your high note. Your KEYnote.

You know the whole “the truth shall set you free” bit?

Uh yeah, it’s in the Bible – where God lives.

Can’t let it go, huh buddy?

Anyhow, truth, in this case, equals freedom. It’s your presence in action. The adage should read “Your presence shall set you free.”  Cause it will.

You see, presence is the sun and it only knows light. It thrives on intention and grows from attention.

And when we harness our internal worlds with dogged devotion and service to our Presence (to the LIGHT within), nothing can block our flow. Nothing. It goes as we go, and conjointly, brightens the whole of existence.

If all we ever did was fund our presence with unmitigated, loving fidelity, it would be enough.  Wars would end and separation would cease. Presence is our guitar string.  It’s tune is in our hands.

CLOSING STATEMENT (aka THE PART THAT HITS HOME)

I find the most effective way to paint presence is through a set of self-reflective and opportunity-laced questions. h(Warning: lots of encouragement to follow.)

Ready? GO!

Do you know how grand you are?

The magic of your current inhale?  The miracle of your next exhale?

Do you have the faintest freckle of an idea of the level of mastery and peace at your command by simply choosing to be right here, right now?

No really, do you?

Are you willing to accept that?  Are you willing to go to that place?

To love all you can love?  To give all you can give?  To breathe all you can be?

To just be still?

And then…

Can you deliver that God energy – that Presence to everyone and everything you touch?

To friends, family, colleagues, and strangers?

To the doubters, the negative Nancy’s, and your piece of shit boss?

What about the ass in traffic and the bitch behind the counter?

Can you?

Can you be so adamantly committed to LOVE and LIGHT and HARMONY that it penetrates limitation and manipulation in the darkest of corners?

Could you move one step closer to the Light when everyone in the room is in a trance of limitation?

Can you leave your phone in the other room during suppertime – maybe even turn it off? And be oh-so present to the conversation and food and people before you that the notion of time and space are but distractions from the majesty of this moment, the only thing that matters and exists?

Can you be grateful for what you have regardless of how small life can feel?

Can you give one more ounce of unconditional love when all you want and all you think you need and deserve is to receive it in return for once in your damn life?

Can you pause and take a long, deep breath when speeding up is the easiest thing to do?  I mean, everyone else is doing it.

So, can you?

Presence can.
Start with 20 minutes.
Castles begin with a single stone.

Tune that String,

hi

{Photo by Caley Dimmock on Unsplash}