The Gift of Presence

The gift of being present. 
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Unity practises and teaches that prayer and meditation are two of the most important spiritual activities we can do for ourselves. Why?

They connect us into the One Presence and One Power that is our awareness of God here, in our midst, just as Jesus taught. When we tune into this God-Presence, heart, mind and body, (all of us in other words) we become present to all that God is, and in my opinion there is nothing better than this.

When we pray and meditate to connect into our God-experience, we do so in each holy moment – we become present to Presence and the gifts overflow. Some examples for you …
When I was away for my month’s sabbatical in Devon, I was so grateful for the experience and time to be with me and God alone, that my heart sung, my spirits soared and the felt-experiences of my walks, quiet times, hobbies, were indelibly printed in my mind/body/heart. So much so that whenever I remember my sabbatical, I reconnect with the joy, gratitude and soaring of spirit, re-experiencing the energy here and now. This is because I was present in each moment to all that was there for me. It was profound and I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity and experience.

Back in 1989, I had six fabulous weeks in Australia and to this day, the memories and felt-experiences of my time there are indelibly printed in my whole self. It was as if I came alive in the sun and energy of that continent and I have never forgotten it. (I have forgotten many other things!) I absorbed all that was there for me by being present in every moment. Now whenever I remember that time, my whole being is once more imbued with the same energy and joy.
We can also be present to our moments of deep pain, sadness, anger or fear. Where most of us are taught to avoid, push away or control our uncomfortable feelings, I practice being present to them. I simply sit with the energy that is stored in my body, not engaging my mind and letting the energy move through me, as it needs to. My strong belief is that when I do this, I am making space for God-energy to flow, to heal that which seeks to know healing, and re-integrate any trapped energy previously held onto. Instead of feeling depleted, depressed and ill, I feel invigorated, loved, upheld and set free.

Being present to Presence, in each holy moment is such a gift, why would we not do this. Many of us have had profound moments of feeling connected into, one with, a love and wisdom that is so much more than we are – let us build on this and deepen our awareness of our oneness with God, whatever our human experience.
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I invite you to take time, consciously, to be present to Presence. Let whatever arise, do so. It may be grief, fear, anger, joy, or deep abiding peace. Whatever it is, just be present. Engage the heart; disengage the mind. For there is real goodness love and freedom here. Share any examples with us on our blog page – we love to hear from you.