Getting Out of Our Head
Most of us live as though we are the voice in our heads—that relentless, involuntary stream of commentary, judgment, and worry. It seems as though our minds never relax. This voice is persuasive. It sounds like us. And yet, as Choosing Presence cautions, it’s simply the mind doing what it has learned to do—talk, evaluate, protect, anticipate. Peace begins not by silencing the voice, but by recognizing it.
Chapter 4 - Accessing Presence, invites us into the most essential skill of the practice of presence: access. Not access through effort or insight, but through the body—through breath. Breath is the bridge between where we are and where God already is. When we follow the breath, we step out of the story and into the moment. As the morning practice reminds us, “When we are consciously focusing on our breath, we cannot think at the same time.”
A simple practice helps loosen the grip of mental chatter: when a thought arises, gently label it “just a thought.” No debate. No resistance. Like clouds moving across the sky, thoughts pass when we stop chasing them. Spend five minutes today simply observing. You’re not trying to improve anything. You’re learning to rest where you already are.
This is how access is restored—not by force, but by returning. Again and again. To breath. To now. To God’s quiet presence within.
Choosing Presence is an Illuman Partner Program.
Brian Mueller – Poet, Community Organizer, and Spiritual Guide
Brian Mueller is a poet and community organizer based in Dayton, Ohio. He serves as Director of Education & Engagement for ChoosingPresence.org and is an active member of the Ohio Chapter of Illuman, where he co-leads writing retreats that support men’s spiritual journeys. As a writer, Brian is known for his candid, accessible poetry, with works including Cock‑A‑Doodle‑Doo: 100 Morning Haiku, the Poem of the Day series, and the Bull Series. Inspired by poets like Rumi and Mary Oliver, he believes everyone carries the voice of a poet within.
