Presence

What is presence?

According to the Inner Development Goals framework, presence refers to the ability to be in the here and now, without judgement and in a state of open-ended presence.

Philosophical perspectives on presence

Through various philosophical traditions, here are some perspectives on what it means to be living in a state of presence:

Daoism

Presence is related to the concept of wu wei (无为) or "effortless action." This means being so immersed in the present moment that one responds perfectly to the situation at hand without conscious effort.

Zhuangzi gives the example of a butcher whose blade never needs sharpening because his presence allows him to find the empty spaces between joints. Through this story, he illustrates that presence enables harmonious, responsive flow.

Yoga

The concept of presence is central to the philosophy and practice of yoga as expounded in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and other yogic texts.

In Pantajali's Yoga Sutras, yoga is defined in the second sutra as "yogas citta vritti nirodhah" - the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. The goal of yoga is to still the restless mind and cultivate a state of pure, uninterrupted presence and awareness.

All the practices of yoga, including the Eight Limbs of Yoga outlined by Patanjali, aim to draw us into the present moment.

Zen

The Zen Buddhist tradition places great emphasis on present moment awareness. Practices like tea ceremony, calligraphy, archery and swordsmanship became vehicles for cultivating a state of total absorption in the here-and-now. In this state, the small mind-self disappears and one's activity becomes an expression of the whole.

This open, non-reactive awareness is seen as an antidote to suffering caused by grasping at the past or future. By being fully present, one is able to see the impermanent, ever-changing nature of phenomena.

Phenomenology

Phenomenology emphasizes the importance of presence in human experience. Philosophers like Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger argued that our primary mode of being is through engaged, embodied presence in the world.

In this sense, presence is seen as more fundamental than abstract or theoretical knowledge.

Why presence is important?

From a philosophical and ethical standpoint, here are a few reasons why cultivating presence is crucial:

Enables genuine encounter and understanding

As philosophers like Heidegger and Buber argued, it is only through engaged, embodied presence that we can truly meet and understand others.

Presence allows us to go beyond abstractions and connect with the lived reality of another person. This is crucial for building empathy, compassion and ethical relationships.

Heightens moral sensitivity and responsibility

When we are fully present, we become more attuned to the moral dimensions of a situation. We can better discern others' needs and our obligations to them.

Presence makes the ethical demand of the other harder to ignore or rationalise away. It confronts us with the full weight of our moral choices.

Resists dehumanisation and promotes human dignity.

An instrumental mindset sees people as mere means to an end. But cultivating presence enables us to recognize the inherent worth of each person.

By being fully present, we affirm others' humanity and treat them as ends in themselves, in line with Kant's Categorical Imperative. Presence stops us from objectifying and dehumanising others.

Facilitates ethical discernment and creativity

Ethical dilemmas are often complex, requiring careful consideration of competing values. Presence enables the open awareness needed to navigate these considerations wisely.

By responding to the nuances of the situation, we are exercising Aristotelian phronesis or practical wisdom, which is the capacity to discern the right course of action in particular circumstances.

This stops us from reacting to situations out of habit or impulse, allowing space for moral imagination and being sensitive to the context at the same time.