Trying to answer this question is like trying to answer: ”what is love?”. It’s personal, experiential and too dynamic to be captured in words. So my disclaimer is that anything I write on this subject will reduce it to something that it is not.
So instead I have a suggestion: lets run an experiment! Pick something to eat slowly and intentionally. I will use an apple as an example. Hold it. Feel its weight, temperature and texture. Notice its shape, colors, and details. What thoughts come up as you do this? Any feelings (i.e interest, surprise, anticipation)? Smell it. Bring it close to your lips. How does your body respond? What emotions arise? What thoughts are now present? Don’t rush. Let yourself get curious, explore. When you are ready, slowly take a bite into it. What sounds, flavors, sensations arise? How does your experience change? Chew slowly and notice what happens… You can do this with any food of your choice. The key is to slow down and allow yourself to get curious about the experience. Engage with what you are doing with the entirety of your being, bringing your sensory, emotional and mental awareness online. Give yourself over to the experience for no reason - let go of having any expectations. Eat your food of choice as if this were the first time you ever had it.
WHAT HAPPENS?
This is presence or mindfulness. It is a non judgemental state that emerges when we are aware, curious, receptive, and fully engaged (somatically, emotionally and mentally) with what is happening. As a result, there is a vividness, aliveness, and alignment (between what we are perceiving and what we are actually experiencing) that becomes available. We feel deeply connected to the moment. Even if it is an uncomfortable experience.
So how do we cultivate more moments of presence in our lives? By slowing down, being curious and making full contact with what is happening. By stepping out of the conceptual and dropping into the experiential.
Informal practice:
The invitation this week is to run your own experiments: choose a habitual activity that you usually don’t pay attention to, and do it mindfully (taking a shower, having a meal, listening to your partner, going for a walk, etc.).
What are some new discoveries that you have made?
What is the impact of slowing down and bringing intentional attention to this activity?
Can you practice bringing some presence into difficult moments too?
What are some areas in your life that you want to be more present?
Notice when presence naturally arises in your week. What are you doing? What are the conditions for presence?
Formal practice: sit everyday for 10 - 20 minutes.
Start by choosing an object to pay attention to (i.e. sound, breath, or sensations). Get really curious about this anchor. Notice when it comes and goes... How it changes. Drop into the felt sense of the experience. Marinate in it. What is the impact? How does this affect your state of being?
Allow your attention now to drift to anything that arises. Make full contact. Immerse yourself with what is happening. Follow the experiences versus leading them. Where does this take you? What is revealed? If you get lost, you can always go back to the anchor and start again.