An invitation to be present

Real talk here….commitment to mindfulness practice isn’t always easy. Some days, I’d much rather zone out, numb out, and distract myself from whatever is at hand. Do you ever feel the same?

But then I remember this beautiful closing line from the poem “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver:

Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

When you are more present, you’re more awake to all of life. Some of it is so beautiful and inspiring, and some of it is so hard and uncomfortable. Presence is the witness of it all.

Presence invites me to receive the simplest of pleasures: the velveteen fur of my cat Cassio, the exquisite aroma of the rose in my garden, a breathtaking sunset, and the adorable laugh of my friend’s toddler.

Presence invites me to be steady in the hardest of experiences: massaging oil on my mother’s hands in her final days, holding space for a heartbroken friend, and recovering and healing after trauma.

Presence helps me tune into my body and remember that I am strong and resilient and I can keep going, no matter what. It helps me remember that my breath is one of my most valuable assets when I feel disconnected….three breaths can reset my course.

So our invitation to you is to join us on this journey of exploring PRESENCE this month of October. I’d love to know, what does being more present look like for you?

This season is a time when it seems like the external world is pulling us to be anything but present. It’s not even Halloween, and already every holiday decoration is out for the rest of the year!? It’s a month that can be distracting, which means presence is even more essential to cultivate right now.