7 Tips for Practicing Presence

This blog of photos and thoughts is written to inspire people towards contemplation and presence.  I have found the practice of presence to be life transforming and enriching.  The cool thing is that practicing presence can be fun!  I look forward to my rituals and they are not burdensome.  Below, I have listed seven ways that I have developed the practice of presence over a course of years.  These are things that have worked for me.  You will find your own ways, and I’d love to hear about them.

PRACTICING PRESENCE

1. Loving an Animal. I have long loved my animal friends.  I notice that when I am stroking my dog, cat, horse, or goat, I begin to relax and sink into my body and into the moment.  Animals have been my first and long time gurus.
2. Bird Watching. I started watching birds about a decade ago.  Almost immediately I noticed that my mind begins to slow down when my focus is on the birds, and I come more fully into the present.  The birds became my mentors, preparing me for deeper practice.
3. Walks in Nature. Bird watching led to long and regular walks in the woods.  There I could watch all kinds of critters.  I fell in love with the moss, bark, and fungi.  I fell in love with the turkey, deer, rabbits, and raccoons.  I learned to see beauty in things that I had never noticed before.  Calmness comes over me and my mind relaxes.
4. Reading Poetry/Spiritual Writings. Gradually, I started seeking ways to bring these calming practices into my home.  My partner and I started reading poetry and spiritual writings aloud together, and I found that I was having the same experiences I had while in nature and with my pets.
5. Meditation. Throughout the years I had tried on and off to meditate but without success.  It was only after years of practicing steps 1-4 that I was finally able to calm down enough to actually sit in meditation.  While it was a long time coming, it has proven to be invaluable to my well-being.
6. Mindful Exercise (Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, etc.). I started doing a morning routine of yoga simply to help me be able to sit in meditation comfortably.  I was having pain while sitting so I made an appointment with a yoga therapist asking for help.  As I began practicing yoga I realized that it, too, lends itself towards calming my mind and bringing me more fully into the present.
7. Daily Rituals. Eventually, I began to see how practicing these tips on a daily basis could be helpful.  I now have a morning routine that begins with yoga, moves to meditation, and ends with reading aloud with my partner.  I also try to make time everyday to be outside in nature.

These practices have become sustaining and vital for me.  Of course there are days that I falter, but I am quickly reminded of the value of these practices by the agitation I feel if I go too long without them.

Do you have any tips to share for practicing presence?  I would love to hear.  Just scroll down the page to the comment section and leave a few ideas of your own.  And if you enjoyed this post, please consider giving me a shout out through the Share This button below.

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Tagged as: Beauty, calmness, contemplation, Encouragement, Meditation, Pets, Photoblog, Presence, reading poetry, spiritual writings, time gurus, watching birds