The Presence Process by Michael Brown

By Nora Caterino

The Presence Process, written by Michael Brown and published by Namaste Publishing addresses a concept we all need to learn and practice in our lives: Present Moment Awareness.

How many times have you caught yourself saying “I wish it were Friday already?” or “I can’t wait until….”, all the while wishing away the present moment in which our lives exist.

After all, who really knows if they will be on this planet when Friday arrives or whatever event for which one is wishing their lives away for? Would you really give up this moment for something else? If you really think so, you need to change your life, and Michael Brown’s book can help you do just that.

Another reason many of us need The Presence Process, by Michael Brown is the fact that many of us are haunted by the past. The entire idea behind Present Moment Awareness is about learning better how to feel rather than simply trying to feel better.

It is about making now a very real and important part of our lives instead of letting our problems, whether in the past or perceived as possible future events, stop us from realizing what we truly feel.

For example, in Part I – Attuning to the Process, some of the titles addressed are: The Consciousness of Questions, The Pathway of Awareness and the Seven Year Cycle, and Trading in Results for Consequences.

Part II – Preparing for the Journey brings in topics such as The integrative Approach, Our Level of Entry, and Confirmation.

Part III – The Presence Process really delves into the meat of learning to live with presence and begins the series of sessions to help one on the Journey. The chapters in Part III include: Intending to Listen, A Personal Note, Activating Our Process, and Maintaining our Momentum.

The Sessions are broken down into simple easy to learn steps. Session One addresses Our Inner Presence, The Will to Breathe, Consciously Connected Breathing, and several other activities. Each of the additional sessions add to this foundation incorporating ideas such as learning about Identifying the Messenger, Getting the Message, Feel It to Heal It, Restoring Balance to the Quality of our Life Experience, Activating Inner Compassion, Decreasing Our Negative Emotional Charge, Emotional Cleansing Process, Cooling Off the Ego, Activating Peace of Mind Through Forgiveness, and Living on Purpose, just to name some of the highlights.

Part IV — Consequence, addresses Fruits and Flowers and Radiating Present Moment Awareness Responsibility.

Part V – Completion, shows us that Freedom is Our Responsibility, Roses have Thorns, and The Power of Our Presence.

But what does all this really mean? What can one expect to really learn from The Presence Process? Basically, we know many of the concepts presented in this book, but we fail to practice them in our lives. For example, one of the mottos on Michael Brown’s web site reads: “No one is coming to save us.” A concept that is pure, simple, and very true. It is not a religious statement. It simply means that we are each responsible for our own view of reality and how we experience and enjoy life.

So many people today are so full of rage, anger, blame, and have no idea of how to deal with these issues. Many even realize that the quality of their lives are impacted in negative ways by these issues. Many others have spent thousands and thousands of dollars in therapy in unsuccessful efforts to rid themselves of these feelings. But, the failure is because they are simply seeking to feel better rather than learning how to better feel.

By taking the Journey taught in The Presence Process, each of us can learn to remove disharmony, unprocessed fear, discomfort, even disease in some cases by simply learning how to realize and cope with our feelings. Every person on this planet, without exception, has the capability to look at their lives in a way in which they can feel happy, harmonious, compassionate, and really live in the now moment by moment, enjoying life without looking for someone else to carry them along emotionally.

This doesn’t mean that relationships are bad. Not by any means. It does mean that relationships, when entered into because one or both parties are seeking someone to blame for their past mistakes; someone to carry them emotionally; someone to cause them to become happy without any action on their own part, find that relationships such as these are toxic and bring only more blame and unhappiness. Instead, when we become Present in the Moment of our lives, each and every moment, taking responsibility for ourselves and our own happiness, then we can truly stop being victims and form mentally and spiritually healthy relationships with others who share this world.

I simply can not think of a single soul on Earth who could not benefit from The Presence Process by Michael Brown if read with an opened mind and heart and willingness to actually participate in the Session activities to improve the quality of life. I found no conflict with or association with any religion, nothing that would offend anyone who wants to be happier on a daily basis. Anyone of any background can gain a lot of insight and practical life skills from owning this book and referring to it often. After all, practice makes perfect and we all want our lives to become more perfect. I know I do, and I am sure you do as well.