3 Easy Ways To Make A Conscious Presence In Everyday Life

Starting to practice a conscious presence is a step towards a better life. However, applying this ancient philosophy to modern times is not always easy. There are many different strategies we can use: we just have to find the one that best suits ourselves and our needs and our daily lives.

Many today are interested in a conscious presence, and not just because it is now popular or because someone told us about it, or because we come across it in every book, magazine, and self-help article. It interests and attracts us because it invites us to look at the world from a more vibrant, higher, and yet closer perspective. It serves as a revival for us and is above all useful.

However, our days are dragging us down with their demands, tight schedules and hustle and bustle. We can’t add hours to the day, and we can’t find time we don’t have. This is why we tell ourselves that meditation is really not for us.

But we are wrong. Conscious presence is easier to achieve than ever. Some start it at home with the help of a book or even an online course. And then there are those who can’t imagine sitting still or unable to function in classroom situations among others. The good news: we can meditate while playing sports or walking.

As you can see, a conscious presence is always available to us… 

A conscious presence in today’s busy world

Times change, but the peculiar legacy of spirituality and conscious presence remains. In fact, it is needed now more than ever. Life has become so complex… How can we learn to develop our consciousness? How can we meditate, breathe and be “here and now”.

• Rohan Gunatillake is an innovator who has revolutionized the conscious presence in a very concrete way: by meditating dynamically, thanks to new technologies and even sports.
• The author explains how we have changed. Our needs are stronger, our world is crazy and we have so many ways to learn: the internet and new technologies have brought us closer to spiritual growth and even the world of meditation.
• Rohan Gunatillake calls it “urban meditation”. The truth is that cities, work and the digital world are the things that define many of us today. How could we slip into a 10-day nature retreat to learn to meditate? If we can’t do that, as is likely, we have our own home and great technologies around us that can teach us to connect with reality.

The world is constantly changing and we are a part of it. However, it is not forgotten that conscious presence is also mobile. Enjoy the present in all its nuances, ups and downs, smells, Maui, sensations…

Ways to start practicing a conscious presence

As Daniel Goleman once said, mindfulness is a muscle that we need to use on a daily basis  to become more aware of our environment and its events. But how can we do that if we don’t have time? Can we really learn to meditate by attending an hour-long lesson once a week?

It’s possible, but some people go to these classes out of curiosity and stop after just a few days because they don’t feel it works. They have a hard time silencing their busy minds and finding balance in a state where everything else is left in the background.

However, it is no coincidence that a more than 2,500-year-old Buddhist practice arrived in the West. That is because scientists like Kabat-Zin – among others – understood that our demanding work is moving forward quickly, and we therefore need a conscious presence. To get started, we have many different options to choose from.

Conscious presence at work

Companies like Apple, Google, Nike and eBay already apply a conscious presence in their workplaces on a daily basis. For this technology to be effective, of course, we need the right kind of work environment and company rules, but it is also not impossible to do this alone. Here are some tips:

• Go to work without rushing (you may not be able to do this in the first week, but little by little you will reach your goal).
• Dedicate five minutes to creating a status report, planning a day, looking at what you need to do, and looking at your feelings.
• Take a deep breath and be aware of your body, posture and all your stiffness in that moment.
• Every 40 minutes, take a five-minute break during which you meditate, breathe, and reconnect with yourself.

Meditate as you walk

Ideally, we can give ourselves half an hour every day for a brisk walk, not only to warm up our bodies, but also our minds and the basic principles of conscious presence. Here are some tips:

• Start walking at a normal pace. Gradually look for a pace that is relaxing, cathartic and liberating. Some walk slowly, while others choose to be faster.
• It’s time to pay attention to something. Visualize your mind as if it were a lantern shining its light on one particular aspect at a time : first to your breathing, then to the sensations of your feet as they touch the ground, then to the wind felt on your skin… Pay attention to these aspects cyclically, first to one and then to another.
• Eventually, you’ll find that you no longer have to pay attention to everything that’s going on in your body. After a few days, the glow of your lantern is so bright that you can look at everything at once.

Conscious presence at home

If you don’t feel comfortable in the classroom or listening to a teacher, or if you don’t have time to attend a course, don’t forget that online books and courses are always available to you. These will allow you to learn the basics of a conscious presence at home.

If you decide to do so, there is no harm in following this advice:

• Choose the space, place and time of day that best suits your meditation needs. Remember, you really need to commit to it, because it requires continuity.
• Start in 10 or 15 minutes. As you get used to it, you can lengthen your time.
• Choose the technology that works for you.
• Be patient and don’t expect immediate results. A conscious presence takes time and requires commitment.

Times are changing, and even in our busy and demanding lives, we always have this significant exercise available to us. We just have to find the path that works best for us. Let’s try something new and take the first step towards understanding and being aware.