The Power of PRESENCE
Presence…
That quality of being so wrapped up in and grounded in the presence of another, that you almost forget yourself.
OR so present with YOURSELF, that what was hiding beneath the surface of your day, your life, can finally be seen, heard, and witnessed.
Once we've had a taste of the power of presence, it can be difficult to accept life any other way.
Presence is the theme of the month for the yoga classes I'm teaching Two Dog Yoga this fall.
Last week, while preparing to leave Sisters, Oregon and move back to Washington State, I became overly engaged in the activities of packing and cleaning and preparing for the move. I was on my own as my husband had left a few days before and I was in a bit of a whirlwind preparing for this transition.
Come Friday morning when I went to teach my classes, I had barely sat still at all for the past 36 hours, except when I was sleeping.
We always start class with some 'orienting', which is a nervous system regulation and presencing practice that I do and also offer to clients and students. I started to guide the class to look around the room where they were, such a familiar place, their own home, yet one we so often do NOT look at with true presence.
As I did this, looking around the beautiful sunroom where I had been teaching yoga for a month, I started to get truly present with myself.
In that moment a WAVE of grief washed over me. As the tears welled up in my eyes, I was able to connect with myself & my feelings more deeply than I had in several days.
I had been (and had kept myself) so busy that I had no idea how sad I was to be leaving. This beautiful place and space that had provided such refuge and spaciousness at so many levels for both me and my husband.
I let the tears flow, not wanting to stop the expression of emotion that was true for me in the moment.
I no longer hide the parts of me that have the courage to show up.
And as I let myself feel what was true in terms of grief, I suddenly felt an explosive expansion in my heart. I had a new and vastly deeper understanding that this holding of the grief also allowed me to hold new levels of love. I felt it in my heart , in my body, and in my entire system.
I was given the lesson once again, of the POWER of PRESENCE. Grateful for this incredible sharing opportunity with the class, I let all of this unfold openly, organically and truthfully. For the benefit of all of us.
THIS is part of what I will be offering in my upcoming Group Healing Circles this fall. The opportunity to feel the power of presence in a supportive healing community. There is nothing quite like it.
Never ever underestimate the power of presence.
Join me this fall. Two series dates available; each limited to six people for maximum impact for everyone.
Details and registration info here:
https://www.kathleendowd.com/offerings/workshops-series
Photo credit: Harlan Brown
Model credit: @Prince the Tibetan Mastiff (talk about presence!)
#gratefulnomad, #gratefultraveler, #PowerofPresence #presence #healer, #healing