The Presence Process: A Healing Journey into Present Moment Awareness

I have done the presence process twice since a friend brought this gem of a book to my attention in June of 2008. It has been one of the most empowering, challenging, and rewarding experiences of my life: ~ Empowering because it teaches very simple and practical steps and tools to learn to listen to the wise inner teacher within us who can facilitate our journey to self-realization better than anyone else; ~ Challenging because the 10-weeks process requires facing all the ways in which we have been controlling and cutting off the flow of life, rather than trusting and surrendering to all it has to offer; that involves being willing to feel feelings and embrace experiences we have been fearing and trying to avoid all our lives, but past the initial discomfort, this actually turns out to be fantastically freeing, and ultimately joyous! ~ And rewarding because... it truly delivers on what it promises! I have now experienced over two thirds of the forty plus shifts Michael Brown claims can be expected out of doing the process (p.272-299). These below have been the most life-changing for me: responding in situations where I used to react; no longer hurrying through the day; experiencing spontaneous creativity; finding that circumstances and people that once annoyed me no longer take up my attention; no longer interfering in other people's lives; laughing more and being a lot more playful; enjoying solitude; experiencing a whole lot less drama; becoming more gentle and compassionate toward myself and others; experiencing wonderful waves of spontaneous gratitude; finding that what I need increasingly comes to me instead of seeking it out; finding that my inner/voice intuition has grown and has become a real companion; feeling blessed with a deep sense of purpose. If you have been longing to become who you really are, this book will teach you how to find your way! And the 10-week long process is shockingly simple and do-able... basically, if you can breathe, and read, and are willing to carve an hour a day for 10 weeks, you can do this!

Similar to Dr. Bahder, I am both a physician and a spiritual practitioner. As a physician I specialize in integral psychiatry and work with people in a holistic fashion (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual) to get to true cause in the matter of their suffering. In over 15 years of practice I have not found a guide that helped myself or my patients to such an extent... to face themselves and their own undigested emotional experiences from the past. In contrast, I have read many of Eckhart Tolle's books; but like Krishnamurti, Tolle's work is more a description of a level of consciousness and less a set of specific and ongoing instructions that lead you there in a relatively ego-proof manner. (The instructions "Listen to silence. Observe your thoughts. Be in nature. Be aware of your breath as often as you are able" are insufficient in the face of our unconscious emotional discomfort and the ego's desire to avoid real change.) The Presence Process is a simple, direct, how-to manual to finish your emotional past so that you can stop reacting to it; stay in this glorious and eternal present moment; and respond to life. It is a very powerful tool and the most rapid and effective tool I have found to empower you to heal your inner emotional discomfort. It is that inner emotional discomfort that drives addictions and illnesses (physical, mental, and emotional) AND that keeps us from being here now for any significant length of time. You can acknowledge the power of now and say "yes to what is; however, the unconscious pain of the past keeps drawing us away from the present moment through constantly asking, "What happened?" because it was so painful and, "How do I keep it from happening again?" This drives our unconscious needs and wants which ever drive us from this moment. "This isn't it" is the way of being we are stuck with until we face, embrace, digest, and integrate the emotional past. Simple and difficult. Challenging and exciting. Not for everyone. But if it is for you and you do it... you will be astounded. Highly lucid. Highly effective. Highly recommended.

Michael Brown presents a simple process for ending the self-defeating cycles we all seem to suffer through. He explains why we do this and how to undo it for good. Not a quick fix at all, rather a steady process that any willing participant can do. The heart of the program is two 15-minute breathing sessions (just your plain old breathing, nothing fancy or weird) done morning and night. Christians will know this as centering prayer; others will call it meditation. If you are: tired of gaining and losing the same 50 lbs., tired to dating the same guy (or gal) who somehow lives in multiple bodies and finds you again and again, tired of emotional baggage running your everyday life, tired of reacting instead of responding, tired of being out of control and tired of pretending you are in control, this is the book for you. He actually asks you not to make any dramatic changes in your life while you work through this process. But you will change .... Father Thomas Keating (author of Open Heart, Open Mind) says we spend the rest of our lives trying to recover from the damage incurred in childhood. Brown echoes those sentiments. He says The Presence Process isn't a spiritual program, although you may experience it as such on some level. My take is it's entirely spiritual. The Universe, God, whatever you choose to call The Force will use every bit of your life to bring you to wholeness if you allow it. I'm a journalist by trade, a long-time traditional Christian, and take everything with a grain of salt. So far, this is one of the most beneficial books I've picked up in my entire life. The Bible was my first big life changer. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron was number two. The Presence Process is number three.

Nearly three years after having read this book, and having gone through the process more than three times, I felt called to leave a review here. As with some others, this is my first ever review on Amazon - the presence process has had such a profound positive influence on my life, that if there is a way of helping this teaching get out there and heal people's lives, then I will. I've also given copies away to friends and family, but learnt that it is really only for those who are willing to commit fully to this type of inner work (so now I do it selectively ;). Also, the style may not resonate with everybody, although personally I have found Michael Brown's use of language simply brilliant as well as humorous! You may come across this book, when you're in the middle of a life crisis or perhaps simply because you want to explore present moment awareness futher. In any case, those who are ready will know it, and embrace this process. It won't necessarily be easy or quick, but you will embark on a beautiful, spiritual journey. And as much as you're willing to integrate and BE yourself, your life will never be the same again... PS don't forget that the author has other, excellent writings besides his books, free for download - just google "the presence portal". What a gift!

This is the only self-help book that’s actually worked for me. It’s the how-to version of Eckhardt Tolle’s the Power of Now. If you want to clear out any repetitive cycles in your life, buy this book, read it, breathe, and integrate your past trauma. The only way out is through.

Good info, still reading

This is the most profound book on inner work I have ever read. I first discovered it 10 years ago, and at the time I so didn't 'get' it that I gave it away to a charity shop! Thank goodness it came to me again, I would not be without it. I sometimes forget about it for weeks, then return and open the pages and it speaks to me in a new way, like I have never read it before. Michael Brown does not speak from a place of 'enlightenment' that so many do, he speaks of the day to day journey of presence, of relationships, of pain; this sounds bleak but it is blissful beyond words. What a gift he has given to the world. I would encourage anyone who is unsure to check out the presence portal web site, which contains many writings and audios and will give you more insight into the work. I wish my words could match the power of this book, it is very special indeed.

This was recommended to me by a wonderful tone singer and it is quite honestly changing me from the inside out. There is never the perfect time to pick up this book and start the program because now is always the perfect time. You're ready and your worthy of this teaching. So grateful I came across it.