“. . . We all need groups of support that are dedicated to just being present to one another . . . whether it’s two people getting together, whether it’s ten people getting together . . . there is a sense in our bodies that we’re really just here for one another and that we can hold whatever it is that arises in that moment. . . . We are meant to be interdependent through our entire lives.”

Bonnie Badenoch

The Power of Presence Practice

Whether you’re sitting or you’re standing, can you feel your feet firmly on the ground about hip width apart, your knees soft, and your spine upright? Take a deep breath. Allow your posture to align with the vertical fall of gravity from the crown of your head, down to your heart, through your belly, down to the creative center in your pelvis, and down through the soles of your feet into the earth beneath you. Take all the time you need and as many breaths you need to notice the sensation of this vertical connection. This is your relationship with gravity and being grounded.

Breath Consciousness

Once grounded, take time to become aware of your breath as it comes in and moves out of your body. Feel the air filling and emptying your torso as you breathe. Notice the changes in the shape of you. If you start to get a little light-headed when you breathe more deeply, it may be a sign from your body-self to open up your lungs more to bring energy deeper into your cells.

With each inhalation, expand just a little more fully than you might normally, and observe if there is more room in your torso. Breathe in feeling your breath move from the top of you, to the bottom of you.

On each exhalation feel your breath moving from the bottom of you, to the top of you. As you observe this top to bottom, bottom to top exchange of breath, do you detect an ability to empty more fully?

As you breathe in what do just receive? Can you receive nourishment from your surroundings? Do you see any nature as you breathe in? Allow yourself to release anything that is not serving you this moment. Notice any tension, anxiety, or restlessness releasing into the atmosphere as you breathe out. Whatever you do not need, can you release it?

Space Consciousness

When grounded and aware of your breath, is it possible to imagine a cycle of breathing in through your nose and breathing out into the space through your heart? Take some time to see yourself breathing in what you need and breathing out your heart to connect with the universal space around you.

Feel the space holding and shaping you. Notice how your inhalation breath brings awareness and expansion into your body, helping you to sense your power and groundedness, and how your exhalation through your heart connects you to your space around you.

Inner to Outer

Now, as you breathe, find that place inside of you where the wisest part of you lives. See this inner caring, compassionate, dependable, and discerning place. This is the place that you have strength and focus and power, you also have nurturing, creativity and sweetness. Put your hand on that place and allow yourself to feel the wisdom inside of you and note the sensation of this wisdom in your tissues. You can always access it.

Continue to breathe in and out enhancing your connection with this place now. From this inner knowing space, integrate all parts of yourself. You can integrate your masculine qualities and feminine aspects harmoniously. Breathe in your yin and yang presence of harmony, and how this harmony emanates into your relational field.

Notice the sensations in your body and your personal space as you practice breathing your wise and connected self in and out. Give yourself permission to take in this sense of inner wholeness. This is being present to your self and your relational field.

Energies

As you notice the sensations of presence, know that you can access your the masculine energies when you need them, just as you can call on your feminine energies as you need them because they are all available to you as you breathe in and out and accept them now. You are listening to your whole self.

Breathe and sense this place that knows with listening you can gently flow back and forth along this continuum. As you breathe and connect, know that the whole of you is far more powerful than any part alone. You can really trust this. As you trust this sensation can you connect with gratitude?

Take note of your facial muscles. Allow them to soften, and feel yourself smile. Can you appreciate all of who you are? You are the sum of your life’s journey, all your struggles, and all your joys, have created you here and now. You are doing a fine job at life.

Here and Now

Take another big breath in and allow yourself a deep release. When you are ready, bring yourself back to your sense of the vertical fall of gravity through your body. Come to the here and now and know that this wisdom energy, this knowing power is presence and a part of you, and available to you any time you want. All it takes is the intention and practice to breathe it into being.