Tuesday, December 2, 2008

The Presence Process

Writing this blog is not easy for me. I am a private person and maybe even hide behind some posts which are interesting and thought provoking. My own experience of life is so unnerving most of the time that I wouldn’t know how to convey it even if the desire to do so was present.

But this morning I want to acknowledge Michael Brown. The story of how he learned the Presence Process has been an inspiration to me. He had a very painful illness and discovered that the discomfort abated as he became more present in the Now.

My condition is not physical, but rather emotional – at least that is how it feels. And frankly, I regard myself as a sick person whose ailment manifests in an outwardly turbulent life.

Michael says that he experienced “daily bouts of indescribable agony.” Maybe we all get the type and intensity of suffering that is needed to help us change – I don’t know, and don’t want to philosophize about something so difficult.

But the point in even attempting this blog was to say that I believe and hope that healing is possible – not just for Michael, but for the many others of us that also suffer daily bouts of indescribable agony.

Maybe we call it Presence or the Now, maybe we call it Jesus Christ, maybe we don’t even have a name – just a feeling inside of longing for an ancient all-embracing Love.

Whatever it is, may we find it - and may it find us.

11 comments:

  1. Hi there,

    I'm interested, why do you regard yourself as a sick person?

    It's an interesting way of looking at yourself.

    I think there are two ways that you can look at this.

    Either you are, indeed, a sick person whose ailments manifest in an outwardly turbulent life.

    OR ...

    You are a healthy and well person who, from time to time, has experiences of being sick.

    In a sense, unless you are sick every moment of every day, then by saying that you are a sick person - as if this is who you really are - then you are overlooking all those times you are healthy and well. In this sense you are appreciating your sickness and depreciating your wellness. And, as Michael Brown would say, the more you appreciate something the more of that you get.

    An interesting question would be: why do you overlook all the times you are healthy and well? Is there a payoff for you in seeing yourself as someone who is sick?

    Clearly, given the fact that you have done The Presence Process twice, your intent is to be healthy and well. Otherwise why would you put yourself through that?

    As such, if you do the Process again, it might be worthwhile to have as your intent that when you complete it you recognise yourself as someone who is healthy and well.

    You might want to ask yourself such questions as: How will I recognise myself as someone who is healthy and well? And what would life look like for me if, indeed, I saw myself as being someone who is healthy and well?

    Of course, on a deeper level, there is no such thing as sickness. "Sickness" is a mental construct - one of those things we get so attached to. All "Sickness" actually is is a flow of energy that you have a certain amount of discomfort with. If you were able to be with that discomfort - really be with it - exactly as it is and exactly as it isn't, things would start to shift for you.

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  2. With as deep a conviction as is possible for me here and now, it is my feeling that those who are of greatest value in our human evolution are those who bear the most intense pain...
    Our pain as we are learning, when integrated becomes fuel, and so will, that it propels you further in. And although it may sound trite, the old saying that God does not give us a heavier burdon than we are able to bear...speaks volumes to me here. If the chalice be full of pain all the more may it be filled with love as emptied...is just how I see it.
    Your acknowledgement of Michael Brown bears witness to this. And as I grow deeper in gratitude for his sharing his journey in integrating his pain and so now too, our pain, to be cleansed, as he is... I honor the pain within you and am grateful for your sharing your heart... just as it is.
    I trust evermore that as we come out of the shadows from where we reside and travel further into our hearts, the light of our inner Sun will surely illuminate the way, even through the dark stormy weather conditions that arise.
    Thank-you for sharing, I am one whom appreciates it!

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  3. I love that you wrote about this today. I have done TPP 3 times and worked with Michael one-on-one and in small groups. I am going to start it again Sunday. I tried this week with too much resistance and then noticed if I start this Sunday, I will finish around Valentine's Day and loved the Alchemy in that.

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  4. Thanks for sharing your feelings & thoughts. I admire you for working this hard.
    I am now inspired to go through TPP once again.

    One thing I'd like to mention is that your entries this week are very different from the ones before. As if two different people have written them...

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  5. I agree with Mandana. It's as if a different person is writing. I hope readers can refrain from trying to give you advice, fix you, prod you further in your process or use this as a forum for their own cleverness, eloquence or spiritual ambition. What you are sharing, especially your technical knowledge of the different versions of the calendar and your knack for staying with current world events,is terrific. Your tone is completely lacking in any sense of being "ahead of the curve" with your information. Your emphasis on the event horizon of 2012 as being an inner shift is appreciated. I hope you can stick with this blog! I love it.

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  7. The words that come hardest out are the ones readers seem most interested in hearing. Thank you all for taking the time to respond.

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  8. Having only read TPP halfway myself, reading that you've completed it more than once is something. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Hi,

    I don't know if any of the comments were aimed at me, and if what I wrote landed in the wrong way I sincerely apologise for that.

    I never intended to diminish from the value of this blog and the contribution of Count Down to helping our understanding about 2012. And I would fully urge him to continue writing about it.

    Just to say, that my commitment in life is to be supportive to people as best I can. I appreciate that it doesn't always come out like that. Which is something I can take responsibility for.

    However, as a result of what has shown up here, it forced me to take a good look at my own frustrations with life, and my own ailments and sicknesses.

    So thank you for opening that up for me.

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  10. I am so...thank you Nesia. I feel the pain and the authentic beauty in your words. you are exceptional Love.
    <3

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