Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Practicing Presence Turns Failure to Success

“The season of failure is the best time for sowing the seeds of success.” Paramahansa Yogananda

We all can see the need for sowing seeds of success at times of failure and uncertainty, but why is it the Best time? Success and failure are both necessary parts of the journey of life. This life is made up of dualities: heat and cold, pleasure and pain, sorrow and joy. Failure is part of the learning process. Failure gives much needed information on the direction we want to go. When we are completely present with our current circumstance without judgment our failure becomes fuel to power our success.

The same is true of all sorts of failure. Tough times brought about by financial insecurity, health issues or relationship problems, although unpleasant can be used as agents of positive change! Being present to the most difficult and challenging situations allows a subtle shift in perspective that creates an internal environment for healing and success.

Practicing the Presence

Breath is the cord that links body and soul. When the life energy leaves the body there is no breath. Advanced breathing exercises such as Kriya Yoga* are called pranayama or “life-force control” and advance yogis use this technique to still the breath, calm the heart, and experience ecstacy. But we don’t have to sit for hours in meditation to experience the benefit of being Present. Take three deep breaths, or go outside for a walk and breathe deeply filling the lungs. Observe the breath and the objects in the present environment and feel a gradual shift from confusion to balance immediately.

But what does it mean to practice Presence? Being present means showing up for life—Game on! One who is completely present is completely grounded in the moment. However that looks from the outside s/he is impermeable to attack from any circumstance. One who is fully present is “in the presence” of the higher Self, the source of all life, the unchangeable soul.

Bur let’s rewind a moment… How can we practice presence unless and until we recognize what it means, how it feels, to not be present? As a friend of mine asked, “If I am not present, then where am I?” Am I not always here, right between my ears?” What does it mean to be absent?
Absent-mindedness is forgetfulness. It is the way we check out of current time experience when we perceive pain or anticipate some form of suffering, humiliation or loss. Absent-mindedness is associated with loss of memory, but it can be caused by the memory of loss. Anticipation of pain causes more suffering and loss than pain itself when it is triggered by memories of loss from the past. Most fear and worry are produced by dwelling in this way simultaneously straddling past and future time. Being absent to present experience creates a superficial existence, a half-hearted, surface life based on elusive externals that never dives deep into the truth of any situation.

Whale is a great symbol of Presence living as she does in the ocean. The sea is the place of origin of life on Earth and is also a symbol of the waves of change and emotion we experience from day to day. Taking a few deep “Whale Breaths” and diving deeper into the present moment is the first step in solving any problem.


Eveline Maria Smith and David Wodtke offer this special Seedinar to help you be Present, be Connected, and move in Direct Action from the Heart through “The Art and Science of Conscious Compassion”.

Are you feeling like the carpet has been pulled out from under your feet?
In the course of a day everyone may face some little challenges but what to do when something major hits?
Do you react or respond?
Do you wish you could be Present, be Connected, and move in Direct Action from the Heart?

In this live Seedinar series, you will:
• Learn to Bring Relaxation into Your Daily Life with relation to Present Moment
• Discover Self-Empowerment applying Compassion Training
• Get motivated and inspired to move in Direct Action from the Heart
• Receive four part series recorded audio link within 48 hours of Live broadcasts

Receive two FREE Gifts for registration and participation!
• FREE Affirmations Mp3 audio file
• FREE “Create Your Soul Art & Collage” eBook

This live broadcast is a four part series beginning Tuesday March 13, 2012 at 6 pm PT. Each recurring Tuesday live session will be recorded, questions and active participation is encouraged: Total $97.00

If you are not able to attend the live broadcasts you can still participate! Receive the four recorded broadcast sessions and two FREE Gifts: Total $80.00 when you are registering enter code: Compassion

Registration Form URL: http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=EC56DB80884C



*NOTE: Kriya Yoga is referred to by Krishna, India's greatest prophet, in a stanza of the Bhagavad-Gita: "Offering inhaling breath into the outgoing breath, and offering the outgoing breath into the inhaling breath, the yogi neutralizes both these breaths; he thus releases the life force from the heart and brings it under his control... Kriya Yoga is a simple, psycho physiological method by which the human blood is decarbonized and recharged with oxygen. The atoms of this extra oxygen are transmuted into life current to rejuvenate the brain and spinal centers. (1) By stopping the accumulation of venous blood, the yogi is able to lessen or prevent the decay of tissues; the advanced yogi transmutes his cells into pure energy. Elijah, Jesus, Kabir, and other prophets were past masters in the use of Kriya or a similar technique, by which they caused their bodies to dematerialize at will." (Autobiography Of a Yogi, 1946, p.244)