Why Presence is Powerful and Yet So Difficult
We know there’s immense value is living in the present moment, and yet we find ourselves wandering so far from it. Keep reading to find out why presence is powerful and yet so difficult to maintain.
“Accept—then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it… This will miraculously transform your whole life.”
Here’s what you’ll learn from this article:
Eckhart Tolle’s definition of presence.
Why presence is both easy + difficult.
The difference between presence + distraction.
Let’s get to it!
What is presence?
Few people understand and teach the concept of Presence as clearly, profoundly, and articulately as Eckhart Tolle.
According to Tolle, the concept of presence can’t be grasped by the mind. It can only be understood through the act of being itself.
“Being can be felt, but it can never be understood mentally.” —Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now*
From within a state of pure being, you become one with the moment at hand. Not only are you tuned into what is, but your mind is completely free from thought and you radically accept the moment that is along with all of its circumstances.
Within a state of pure Presence, there is no resistance to what is because there is no thought, only awareness of being.
“As long as you are in a state of intense presence, you are free of thought. You are still, yet highly alert. The instant your conscious attention sinks below a certain level, thought rushes in. The mental noise returns; the stillness is lost. You are back in time.” —Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now*
In The Power of Now, Tolle notes that to stay present in everyday life, it helps “to always have some of your attention in the inner energy field of your body. To feel the body from within, so to speak. Body awareness keeps you present. It anchors you in the Now.”
EASY + DIFFICULT
Presence is one of the easiest spiritual concepts to grasp and one of the most difficult to implement.
Yet when we’re able to live fully in the present moment—accepting it exactly as it is without interpreting its worth or “goodness”—we move into a powerful state of consciousness.
To be present, we must embrace the reality of what is.
Now, depending on our ego’s interpretation of what currently is, this can be the easiest task or the most challenging we’ve ever faced.
It’s easy to be present for the stuff the ego labels “good” and yet it’s so incredibly challenging to show up for the stuff the ego labels as “bad”, “scary”, “boring”, etc.
The key to being present for it all is to stop interpreting what is. So easily said, not so easily done.
This is why presence is a spiritual skill that’s rarely (if ever) mastered but rather one that’s developed and honed incrementally over the course of an entire lifetime.
The path to presence is no straight line; it’s a squiggly, knotted, gnarled one.
But the more you show up for the present moment, the more it will show up for you.
PRESENCE VS. DISTRACTION
What does presence feel like? What does it look like? How does presence differ from reactivity + distraction?
As a shout out to creatives, Tolle says:
“All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness.”
WAITING FOR WAKE-UP CALLS
Many of us wait for life to awaken us to the present moment through its turmoils, dramas, and traumas.
But we don’t need to wait for “wake-up calls” to encourage our presence.
As Eckhart Tolle suggests, we can transform our perspective (and our entire life) right now by embracing the present moment as if we had chosen it.
Again, we don’t need to interpret the present moment (although the ego will always try), we only need to accept it. Because it is. And resisting what is only enhances its realness.
From this place of empowered presence, we move into a newfound understanding of what it means to be human.
When we release the mentality that life happens to us, we begin to realize that life happens for us.
And that whatever comes our way—good, bad, beautiful, or ugly—is all part of everything unfolding exactly as it should.
INTENTION
I maintain a state of presence by living in the moment without interpreting its goodness or worth. What is is exactly what should be.
DO THIS TODAY
When you notice your ego applying a negative interpretation to the present moment (e.g., I’m bored, I’m distracted, I need to focus more, etc.), pause and release the interpretation by saying silently or aloud, “This moment is exactly as it should be because it is.”
WRITING PROMPT
This week, when you notice your ego interpreting the value or worth of the present moment—be it good or bad—write it down.
RESOURCE
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