Atwood +
Andy Atwood, PC
A Short Book Review
The Presence Process by Michael Brown. C. 2010. Revised Edition
My dear friend, Larry Terlouw, put all of us who belong to the Church of the Crooked Chalice on to this book when it was first published. The changes in Larry were obvious as he embraced “the Presence” in his life. But for some reason I didn’t pick this book up until May of 2015. Larry read the first edition, and I the revised edition.
Right up front I want to say that no “program” has been as formative in my life as this one. Three months of daily practice have produced the most fascinating results. Let me give you a short description of the process.
The first 115 pages attune you to the process. I know enough about trance induction to see what Brown is attuning us to – and that is a shift in consciousness from the past and future – to the present moment.
From page 116 to 239 there are 10 chapters. Read one a week and practice the mantra (our conscious response for the next seven days) as many times as you can. The chapters build on each other.
From page 243 to 300 you find the “possibilities” of change that might happen to you – each of which is meant to awaken and reinforce. What you give your mind to in attention, and your heart to in intention, becomes manifested in the most fascinating ways.
Brown lists out 46 “navigational guides” just before you begin the first week. No. 30 reads, “People from our past and family members we haven’t heard from for a while may contact us….” I had a friend from High School that I haven’t talked with since 1966 contact me, and another precious colleague with whom I haven’t spoken in a few years reached out. I could go on about the dozen or so fascinating “coincidences” that happened during this three month period.
There is a 2x daily meditation practice. “I AM HERE NOW IN THIS” is the mantra, repeated with a breath in and breath out rhythmically. Sure, my mind wanders all over. Monkey mind is what it is called. Catch it. Check it. Change it. These are the basics of mindfulness practice and contemplative meditation.
Brown suggests that you work the 10-week process, wait a few weeks, and do it again. Three times are recommended for maximum change.
I’m fortunate in that I have someone at home with whom I can talk about the awakenings and synchronicities that happen to me along the way. It helps because to have a grounding point where you can check the reality of the shifts that are taking place as you work through The Presence Process. To that end, I’ll be glad to work with anyone who wants to take this process seriously, and would like a companion along the way. An occasional email, phone call, Skype or office visit might be helpful.
I highly recommend The Presence Process.