Explore Insights on Choosing Presence & the Practice of Presence
Browse, reflect, and embrace the practice of presence!
Welcome to our collection of thought-provoking articles designed to inspire and support your journey towards daily calm and presence. Here, you’ll find deep reflections on Choosing Presence and the Practice of Presence, along with explorations of contemplative prayer, meditation, and the art of living in the moment.
Whether you’re seeking practical guidance, fresh perspectives, or a deeper understanding of presence in daily life, these articles offer valuable wisdom to help you cultivate stillness, awareness, and a stronger connection with God.
Simple Gratitude
Practice of Presence Teaching
You cannot be fully present and ungrateful at the same time. Try it. When we are truly here — feeling the breath, the warmth of a mug, the weight of our own body in a chair — complaint is nowhere to be found.
The Gift of Quiet
Practice of Presence Teaching
Quiet is not the absence of sound or thought. It is the inner space we create when we stop following every anxious story and return to the present. In that pause, we do not solve life by thinking harder; we become available to God’s peace within us. A few conscious breaths can soften reactivity and help us meet this moment with love.
Catching Stress Before It Takes Over
Practice of Presence Teaching
Stress often begins before we notice it—but the body sends early signals. Learn a simple practice of body awareness to pause, breathe, interrupt the stress cycle, and return to God’s peace.
Putting Pen to Paper: How Journaling Becomes a Practice of Presence
A recent Guardian article reminds us that journaling is one of the simplest, most accessible tools for self-reflection — and that there is no wrong way to do it. At Choosing Presence, we've long viewed journaling as something more: a doorway into stillness, a quiet conversation with God, and a contemplative practice that helps us recognize where we are and gently return to peace.
Reclaiming the Mind: Michael Pollan on Consciousness, Presence, and the Yearning for Inner Sovereignty
Our consciousness is under pressure — from phones, from algorithms, from the relentless demands of modern life. Michael Pollan's new book, A World Appears, traces the science and the strangeness of our inner lives, and arrives at a quietly urgent conclusion: we need to take back sovereignty over our own minds.