Chapter 5: Inner Conditioning
CHOOSING PRESENCE PP. 52-53
Understand the critical questions that guide the practice of presence and its role in accessing inner peace.
Summary
This section of the book lays out three key questions to help you stay present:
Am I at peace right now? And do I know why?
If I’m not at peace, can I recognize what’s pulling me away?
Most importantly, do I know how to return to peace?
These questions aren’t just for reflection—they’re tools. The more you ask them, the more you’ll understand what helps you stay present and what tends to throw you off. Over time, this practice gives you a real, lived understanding of your inner world. And when you stay aware of your peace, you naturally stay more connected to the present moment—and to God’s presence within you.
If we can answer those three questions through our own experience, nothing else matters. We are free. We have allowed God’s Spirit through the peace of the present moment to free us. And we spend every day proving that again and again to ourselves through the practice of presence. That’s why we’re never going back to the way we lived before.
— Choosing Presence, p. 53
A Moment for Reflection
Pause for a moment and reflect on the following three questions:
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This question helps you reflect on past experiences of peace and recognize the factors that contributed to them.
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This encourages awareness of personal obstacles and the practice of consciously returning to peace.
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This invites you to consider how integrating these questions into daily life could transform your experience of presence.
Deepening the Practice: Journal Prompt
The quality of our inner life is shaped by the questions we ask ourselves. When we regularly pause to check in—asking whether we are at peace, what might be disrupting it, and how to return—we build a foundation of awareness. These questions aren’t just abstract reflections; they are practical tools for living in the present and deepening our connection with God’s Spirit. Over time, the more we practice asking them, the more natural it becomes to return to peace, no matter what’s happening around us.
Take a moment to sit quietly and breathe. Then, reflect on the following:
Am I at peace right now? If yes, what is supporting my sense of peace? If not, what feels unsettled within me?
When I lose my sense of peace, what are the common patterns, thoughts, or external triggers that pull me away?
What has helped me return to peace in the past? How can I make that a consistent part of my daily practice?
Write freely about what comes up. End by setting an intention—how will you remind yourself to return to these questions throughout the day?