10 Ways to give Presence

As the festive season or occasions arise, people often offer physical gifts to others.  Another approach is to reflect on priceless gestures that can be offered not only for special occasions, but also to reinforce connection, acceptance and support everyday. For instance, people want to be seen and heard. Rather than offer 'things,' what if giving full attention is an appealing way to go? Consider 10 Ways to give presence as another kind of present:

1.  Practice Mindfulness

Tune into your physical sensations.  Ground yourself in the now. Feel your feet on the ground, the sensations on your fingers and toes. Be open to your environment. Tune into your senses. Be aware of feelings. Actively check in. Pay attention to your thoughts. Pay attention to how other people in your life are doing. Check in on your loved ones. 

2. Listen Closely

Be present to other people.  Validate their thoughts and feelings. Give them your full attention. Listen without thinking. In addition to verbal communication, use multiple forms of nonverbal communication (eyes, body language, nods when appropriate) to let others know you are listening. Limit splitting your attention between the person and technology. It is hard to tune into others or yourself when you are bombarded with distractions. Be present. Listen to intuition. (Refer to The Definitive Book of Body Language by Allan & Barbara Pease)

3. Honour Self-care

Meditate. Ask yourself what you want and need right now. During the holidays people get busy. Take time out for you. If overwhelm arises, step back.  Take a break. Notice when you are Hungry, Angry/Anxious, Lonely, or Tired (HALT). If hungry, don’t get angry—eat. If angry, take some space. If anxious, recognize you control how you feel/ respond. If lonely, connect with nourishing and supportive people or pets. If tired, nap.  Focus on your breath. When you're trying your best to focus, simply take steps to recenter self. 

4. Offer Service

Offering service is about being aware of what brings you joy and sharing the joyful vibration in ways that uplift others. In this way, we can engage in self-care and spend time with those who nourishing us, model both an act of self-care and its value.

5. Be Light-hearted

Spend time having fun by yourself or focus on what evokes light-heartedness.   Play outside—stomp on leaves, make a snowball, get a little wet in the rain, get warm when the sun is out. Be present to how others are doing and if they need a little pick-me-up, have a dance party for a song or two.  Limit the time you spend on social media.

6. Create Boundaries

Set good boundaries. No need to always be a “yes” person.  Modelling boundaries is useful for others to see in your life. This time of year, it can be hard to balance yours and others’ needs. Consider your emotional and physical health in the choices you make and actions you take. You can take a pause before responding to a request, especially a text or email. You can think something over. Boundaries are a two-way street; before you ask someone to do something, consider whether you are asking too much. 

7. Show Appreciation

Keep a gratitude journal. Ask others what they are grateful for. Acknowledge what matters to you. Let people know what you are grateful for them. It is okay to be proud of yourself and let others know when you are proud of them. Uplift others, as well as yourself.

8. Be Kind & Compassionate

Reflect on how you would like to be treated. Do them for another and/ or yourself. Don’t always do for others and neglect yourself. Watch what happens as we are kind for no reason. Remember, even when we get angry with someone, we still love them. Tell the closest people in your life often that you love them. Engage in self-love by telling yourself the same. Write post-it notes of kindness as little reminders. Surprise another person by showing you care.

9. Take a Break from Social Media

Recall what life is like without social media. Communicate with others through a call, a text, or a face-to-face visit. Turn off social media for even a few hours. We rely so heavily on social media that it is nice to do things offline too. Consider something completely natural unrelated to tech. 

10. Pay attention to energy

Notice duality is concerned with opposites. They key to everything is to find and align with balance. This happens as energy is the focus. Its insightful to notice our own triggers as well as ups and downs.  These are gifts we give ourselves. Notice in truth, we are more than every colour in every spectrum and every music note in every octave. Meditation is the path to let go of illusions, reclaim territory from the mind. As senses expand, we register new depth and texture, tune into a growing range of vibration, frequency, sound and light. Paradigm shifts echo changes in intensity, perception and expansion of consciousness. To know the nature of energy is to grow conscious of multidimensionality and blossom into new directions to feel more alive. Energy wisdom is the fountain of immortality.

10 Tips to be radically responsible

Get back on track-

Commit to our 21 Days of Radical Responsibility Program

Start with 10 tips to be radically responsible (for your life):

1. Make choices based on what’s actually true, rather than what you think should be true.

• Listen to how you feel in this moment-be aware of signs, signals, sensations as pointers.

• Tune into the heart vibration and rhythm of the breath. To feel calm or rattled is a reliable guide.

2. Assert and reinforce your feelings, needs, boundaries, requests.

• Be aware of when someone attempts to talk you out of your feelings

• See everything as an opportunity to trust yourself more

3. Own your choices and visions. Don't blame others or the external.

• Know you are who you are because of all your experiences

• See the lesson or blessing in all situations whihc you create for yourself to grow

4. Honor personal power of others. 

• Treat them as whole, creative and resourceful rather than needy

• See your role is to allow others to make their own choices rather than control them

5. Filter for present-moment thinking

• Be aware of tense of language spoken
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• Let go of thoughts of past or future

6. Focus on what's in your control

• Focus on yourself and your responses to the external

• Accept what is within your power and reach

7. Be radically honest with yourself and your values

• Be aware that every choice has consequences

•  Do not go along with others simply its easier (recall Dumbledore: "The time comes Harry, when w must choose between what is right and what is easy.")

8. Practice your ability to respond to your emotions, sensations, and thoughts in useful ways 

• Validate your truth, intuition, signs and signals from within you

• Meditate to sharpen subtle senses

9. Practice self-compassion: treat yourself with kindness and grace

• Set realistic standards
• Love yourself, your choices & inclinations

10. Take action. Action is reciprocal with confidence. Don't stay stuck because you're unsure or the path is unclear. Take a step forward.

• Notice feacing fear is the reliable choice (so long as it doesn't put you in harm's way)

• Recall your thoughts and feelings direct every moment of your life – no one is coming to save you=

15 Qualities of People Who Have True Integrity

Many people ask what are qualities of individuals who are authentic or harmonious with true being.  One can feel or tune into this in a person's vibration, sense energy and radiance flowing through them.  It can also be helpful to make certain observations. Consider 15 qualities of those who have true integrity;

1. Punctuality

Authentic people are dependable. They value their own time and your time. They do not hold you up. To engage with such a person is to feel respected.

2. Praise

People who live in integrity do not take credit for things they did not do. They always praise those who deserve it.

3. Harmonious

They are their truest forms. You won’t catch them in a lie.

4. Honest

They are open and direct that feel its natural to "tell it like it is."

5. Supportive

They support rather than take advantage of others. They love to build people up and help them get where they need to be. Taking too much from someone else will never be an issue with someone who has a lot of integrity.

6. Non-confrontational

They are not avoidant but peaceful within so non-confrontational. will talk through things or be the astute observer. You cannot and will not force this person into arguing. I find this to be a very respectable trait.

7. Trustworthy

They do what they say and are true to their word. They set an example for others so they also have integrity. 

8. Intuitive

They have a accurate intuition that gives them insight. If someone is down in the dumps they will notice and the compassionate soul will act in the greater good of all. 

9.  Trusting

They accept your word as truth until it is disproven. 

10. Honourable

If they misstep, they apologize. This is just how they are. They own up to their mistake and make things right.

11. Humility

They do not quite know their own worth. They are altruistic and selfless and rarely see it. 

12. Caring

They are always helping other people. They love to know that they have improved someone’s life. It gives their lives meaning.

13. Kind

Giving kindness can go a long way. When someone looks like they need a little pick me up these people deliver. They inspire or brighten up almost anyone’s day.

14. Righteous

Those who do what's right, regardless of the obstacles or challenges.

15. Transparent

They do not hold secrets of hide who they are. They present themselves in the same way to everyone. 

The key to 'Return to Normal'

Notice the 'return to normal' is not about something beyond you influencing how you think and feel or self-llimiting choices. Rather, its about a return to True Divine Nature and activating related energies at core of being. True power, vitality, longevity and Soul vision are grounded in expanding consciousness, deepening heartfelt connection, community, aligning with kindness and compassion, living according to a moral compass. Tuning into what resonates and living thus opens infinite doors, senses and realms of divine possibilities. Much remains unseen and inaccessible to egoic consciousness . Watch what happens as one pays closer attention to what is in plain sight(Image: Kalannie succulent)

You make this place

You make this place what it appears to be based on how you think and feel about it.  Do people you encounter seem to behave as monsters or angels?  Your attitude shapes your experience.

If you seek to conquer others, the universe points to opportunities for profound lessons. If you wish to control others, you know suffering.  As you recognize controlling behaviour does not serve you, other options are still open to you.  Notice love is the opposite of control.

If you are kind, compassionate and non-judgmental, you see goodness in the hearts of others and overlook what the mind would have you compare and judge. Notice they see in you what you see in them. The world is a mirror that reflects how you feel about yourself. 

Let things be.  Flow with them.   Love people and things so much you are willing to let them go. Be happy, come what may.  State of mind and emotions fluctuate with conditions while being simply is. Unhinge the door the mind places in front of of the heart.  Love no matter what.