Bite Sized episodes is where I go deeper into a subject. In this episode, I elaborate on presence and mindfulness.

Presence is the root of yoga philosophy, spiritual teachings and all other self help. Tools that stem from these teachings all basically show you how to maintain presence and mindfulness in various ways.

I would even go as far as to say that maintaining a practice of moment-to-moment awareness (presence) is even more foundational than self-love.

Maybe it sounds like a radical statement to you but think about it - you need some level of awareness in the first place to even be able to recognize the negative emotions arising within you. And then a great sense of presence to hold the space so that you can sit with the shame/judgement/guilt/worthlessness (name your poison) while maintaining a sense of love.

Being in presence helps you navigate difficult emotions like uncertainty, make better decisions and ultimately be in peace. It’s also a practice that we need to consistently practice.

In this episode, I share with you what I’ve learned about presence from a variety of teachings including The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, life coaches like Martha Beck and spiritual teachers like Eckhart Tolle.

Of course, the practice part of it is always most challenging so I also share with you a few of my favorite ways to get into a sense of presence.

Topic Summary:

- What is presence and mindfulness

- Connection of presence from the world of yoga, coaching and spirituality

- Tools and techniques to get into a state of presence

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KEY NUGGETS:

My favorite tools for getting into a state of presence:

Thich Nhat Hanh’s Tea Meditation. You can just Google it or listen to the first 10 min of Episode 16 where Sally Powis-Campbell guides you through the tea meditation.
Eckhart Tolle’s suggestions for stillness is such a great reminder that getting into presence doesn’t have to take long at all. The simple shift of your attention is all it takes. Here’s a strategy that I learned from his book A New Earth:
- Hold up your hand so that it’s touching nothing. With your eyes closed, ask yourself “how do I know my hand is here”
- Another one is to ask yourself “how do I know I’m breathing”
Also love this TED Talk. by Jill Bolte Taylor who talks about her experience after having a stroke that prevented her from using the language part of her brain. Without language, she was in a perpetual state of presence. In presence, she felt light and expansive.