(PRESENCE): Response to--> " Showing up & being present"
Mark R. Jones
mark.r.jones at sunyata.ws
Sat Oct 7 08:42:30 PDT 2006
Hi.
I am fascinated that "Presence" is showing up here
in the Open Space community.
The topic of "Presence" is noticeably a current and
relevant subject. I have had a number of Dharma
conversations about it in the past six weeks ‹ particularly
regarding the relationship of "Presence" to the feeling and/
or experience of "love".
I hope you don't mind if I share with you the pith of
my understanding of "Presence" . . .
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
In the Spring of 2001, I had the opportunity to
meet with the Dalai Lama in India. I had myself
noticed, and heard from other people, that when
they were in the ³Presence² of the Dalai Lama,
they felt unconditionally loved ‹ truly heard,
seen, and loved. There was a transformative
quality of the ³Presence² of the Dalai Lama.
So as part of an assignment that I received from
him, I determined that I must investigate the
cultivation of ³Presence².
My exploration of ³Presence² led me to the
following insights ‹‹‹
³Presence² is the practice of giving the ³Gift²
of ones awareness, attention, understanding,
mindfulness, and compassion to one-Self, Others,
and The Whole.
To be ³Present² is to hear, see, and love
oneself; as well as to hear, see, and love
Others and The Whole.
³Presence² is the intention, invitation, and
willingness to be available for the experience
of interconnected relationship. And it demands
that we be aware of and responsive to both
ourselves and to others.
³Presence² establishes a sense of interconnectedness
of Self, Others, and The Whole that expresses itself
as a capacity to trust, the courage to act, and a
willingness to commit.
³Presence² is an act of "attunement" that brings one
into clarity and harmony with what one perceives as
the higher aspirations, expectations, and needs of
Self, Others, and The Whole.
³Presence² is accomplished by: reflecting on ones
own views, intentions, communications, behaviors,
and impacts on Others and The Whole; discerning
and rectifying the "gap" between ones intentions
and ones impacts; paying attention to the verbal
and non-verbal communications signals and behaviors
of Others and The Whole; inquiring into the "gap"
between the intentions and impacts of Others and
The Whole ‹ on one Self, Others, and The Whole;
and using skillful means to achieve clarity and
equanimity throughout the network of interrelationships.
In Open Space, the skillful means to achieve this
clarity and equanimity is accomplished from trust,
patience, silence, and embodying and continually
demonstrating "The Law" ‹ taking responsibility for
what has heart and meaning for you ‹ and holding
others accountable to do the same.
In my life, I have felt most loved when I have
experienced others as being fully ³Present² to
me ‹ unconditionally giving me the ³Gift² of
their awareness, attention, understanding,
mindfulness, and compassion. And I have felt
most loving when I have chosen to give the
³Gift² of my awareness, attention, understanding,
mindfulness, and compassion to others.
When I am most ³Present², I am most loving.
When you are most ³Present² to me, I feel most
loved by you.
Living in Open Space provides a constant
opportunity for me to cultivate ³Presence²
as an authentic expression of my love for you.
³Presence² invokes the opening of space regardless
of the forms and structures of the interactions ‹ be
they OST, AI, mediated, moderated, ³talking heads²,
pillow talk, Noble Silence . . .
For me, ³Presence² is the practice of Open Space, and
it is a ³Practice of Peace² ‹ collective unconditional love
and understanding and interconnection.
³Open Space² can be a practice for cultivating ³Presence².
. . . if we choose to embody it . . .
Mark R. Jones
Chief Executive Officer
The Sunyata Group
The Integral Wellness Group
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PO Box 58788
Renton, Washington
USA 98058-1788
Phone: 425-413-6000
e-Mail: mark.r.jones at sunyata.ws
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "JL Walker B." <jlwalker at terra.cl>
Reply-To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 01:45:05 -0700
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Subject: Re: Showing up & being present
My two cents on this lovely theme.
I think this presence has too much sense with what tell us Carl Rogers a lot
of time ago: authenticity (congruence); empathy and unconditional
acceptance.
Also about what Jaime Pedreros and his passion with the Transactional
Analysis could explain us much better, that is the "adult of the child" or
"the small wise person" or the "small teacher" that knows all what's
happening with his intuition and joy.
Good weekend for all,
Johnnie Walker
-----Mensaje original-----
De: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]En nombre de Joanna
Fletcher
Enviado el: Friday, October 06, 2006 6:01 PM
Para: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Asunto: Re: Showing up & being present
>
>
>
> This is a concept familiar to me from my coactive coach training we call it
> ³level 3 listening². It is about listening to what is going on in the space
> of a relationship, group etc., under the surface words and emotions, and
> noticing our own impact on it. Being present and showing up is often
> challenging because I so easily get on my own way messages about
> appropriateness, ³shoulds², are loudest and most distracting.
>
>
>
> In our training sessions there are always assistants present who have
> themselves been through the course. They have an executive function, to get
> coffee and water and tissues etc., but their main job is to ³hold the space².
> They are attending to the space and holding it as a powerful and safe
> learning area. They are holding all the people in the space as creative,
> resourceful, and whole. If they leave the room, I notice the impact of their
> absence immediately. When I am holding space for others, I find it requires a
> very high level of attention and presence a muscle I continue to develop,
> as a coach, instructor, and OSer.
>
>
>
> My impact is something I am still figuring out, but I am sure that it has
> something to do with the way I love and accept myself, warts and weirdness
> and all. Somehow my blurting out of unsuitable things gives others more
> confidence to do the same. I can also bring intentionality to the impact I am
> having. Sorry for the rambling - I am thrilled to see this being discussed
> here!
>
>
>
>
>
> Joanna Fletcher
>
>
> Lion Life Coaching
>
>
> jo at lionlifecoaching.com
>
>
> 604-340-1855
>
>
> www.lionlifecoaching.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Funda Oral
> Sent: October 6, 2006 3:59 PM
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> Subject: Re: FW: Showing up & being present
>
>
>
>
>
> This kind of presence provides people & myself with some kind of comfort and
> liberty to breathe and to flow.
>
>
>
> funda
>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Jack Ricchiuto <mailto:jack at designinglife.com>
>>
>>
>>
>> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>>
>>
>>
>> Sent: Friday, October 06, 2006 6:12 PM
>>
>>
>>
>> Subject: Re: FW: Showing up & being present
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Harrison writes,
>>
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> There is yet another level which I might call "Silent Presence." Somehow
>>> this goes beyond, beneath Intellect and/or emotions. The power of this
>>> level
>>> of presence in terms of grounding/supporting a group is profound, I have
>>> found. Don't ask me how it works, but it does.
>>>
>>>
In my experience, the silence we bring creates space for consciousness
which itself is transformative because it expands everyone into a larger
space where more is possible. So that explains why my whole life outside OS
events is cultivating this consciousness, this silence, this Presence.
--
Jack Ricchiuto
Leadership coach, facilitator, author
Just Released! "Mountain Paths: A Guide on the Journey toward Discovering
our Potential" - available at www.DesigningLife.com
<http://www.DesigningLife.com> * *
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