40 Moments of Presence

Welcome! Most of us live with a constant stream of thoughts - ranging from worries and judgments to plans, daydreams, memories, hopes, and fears. We have thoughts about who we are, what happened in the past, what might happen in the future, how things should be, and what must has to happen next. We are so used to them that we rarely pause to ask ourselves: Are they true? Where do these thoughts even come from? And what would happen if I simply let them be? What if there is more to experience than just what these thoughts tell us? This program consists of 40 inquiries - an invitation to experience reality in a new way. Naturally, you may be starting this with the hope of gaining new insights, experiencing something profound, or finally understanding something important. And that makes sense, because we all want to get somewhere. But what if the expectation that there is somewhere ”to get to” is the very thing that is keeping you from actual insight? As long as you put conditions on experience, or you're searching for a particular experience, waiting for a breakthrough, or hoping for change, you're still caught in the habit of striving. But what if you don’t need to chase anything? What if what you're looking for has been here all along - right now, in this very moment? A Different Kind of Journey These next 40 days aren’t about improving yourself, exchanging old beliefs for new ones, or adopting a new mindset. Instead, they’re an opportunity to explore - gently and at your own pace - a way to notice how thoughts come and go, how they shape your everyday life, how they have influenced the way you see yourself, and how they create the sense of a "me." And as you explore, you may begin to notice something: that beneath all of it, there is already something quieter, lighter, and always at ease. These exercises simply help you see what has always been there. The Space Between Thoughts Thoughts, emotions, and sensations are always moving - rising and falling, shifting like waves on the surface of the ocean. But what about the space they appear in? What about the quiet awareness that is always here, unaffected by whatever thoughts happen to arise - just like the white screen in a movie theater that remains unaffected no matter what film is playing? What is it that is aware of all the thoughts, emotions, and sensations? This isn’t something to grasp intellectually - trying to "figure it out" will only lead to frustration. It’s like learning to ride a bike; you can’t think your way into balance, you have to experience it. That means just reading these exercises won’t bring clarity. Fortunately, no effort or belief is required. But you do have to explore them for yourself. When you do, you may find that what you were searching for was never missing - only overlooked. There’s No Goal Here No test to pass. Nothing to get ‘right.’ No new identity to create. You don’t need to force yourself to believe anything new. Instead, this is simply an invitation to look - to gently question what you’ve always assumed to be true and to notice what is left when we thoughts quiet down. How It Works Starting today, you’ll receive five emails per week for eight weeks. That means two days each week with no emails - a natural pause to breathe. I recommend making this a small routine for the next eight weeks: read the exercise in the morning and carry it with you throughout the day - if you want to. No Rules, No Pressure: Miss a day? That’s okay. Skip an exercise that doesn’t feel right for you? Of course. Want to read several at once? Go for it. There’s no set order. The inquiries arrive one at a time, but each one stands on its own - like small seeds you can plant and let grow in your own time. What’s the Purpose? The purpose is to offer you small moments of presence and reflection. This won’t change the circumstances of your life - but it can free you from the drama of it. Each exercise invites you to discover the peace and freedom that are already here, right in the middle of your everyday life. They offer a chance to pause, tune in, and maybe see something in a new way - without pressure, without expectations. Just Breathe. This isn’t something to achieve or get right. Let these exercises simply become a natural part of your day - like a soft, gentle inhale. I hope these 40 days bring you exactly what you need - whether that’s big insights or just small glimpses of stillness and clarity. If you have any questions or want to share something along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out. With warmth, Suzanne

Objective: Are you alive? The instinctive response is often, "Of course I’m alive!" - and then we quickly move on to the next thing. But most of the time, we live in our thoughts - we think about life rather than actually experiencing it. This exercise is a simple yet powerful way to reconnect with the direct experience of being alive, here and now. Instead of identifying with your roles, thoughts, or emotions, you shift your attention to the vibrant, ever-present life force within you. The purpose of this exercise is to go beyond abstract ideas about life and instead feel the raw, direct experience of being. Presence. You are life - this is the one experience of life you can always access, anytime you choose. If you weren’t alive, none of this would be possible. Realizing this can be grounding and calming, especially when you're caught in excessive thinking or feeling disconnected. Exercise: Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Let your awareness settle into your body. Ask yourself: Am I alive? How do I know? Stay with the question until you notice the subtle hum of life somewhere in your body. When you sense it, observe that it’s just happening - there is no one "doing" it. Notice the sensations that arise: The beating of your heart The movement of your breath A tingling in your hands or feet Rest in this experience of being alive - without trying to analyze or describe it. Common Pitfall: You may try to "feel alive" in a dramatic way. Remember, the feeling of being alive is subtle and always present - it doesn’t need to be amplified or made into something special. Practical Application: Use this exercise whenever you feel stuck in thought or disconnected from life. It’s a quick way to return to the present moment and reconnect with your body and experience the life force that you are. - Let this exercise become part of your day. - You don’t need to do anything special with it. Perhaps you begin your day by reflecting on the question, then let it rest in the background. If you’d like, read the exercise again in the evening and see if anything new has surfaced. Remember: There is nothing to achieve here. There is no "right" or "wrong" experience. All you are doing is gently turning your attention toward the awareness that is already present - and letting everything else take care of itself. With warmth, Suzanne

Objective: Thoughts often feel like ours - as if we actively choose and control them. But if you observe closely, you might notice that thoughts arise spontaneously, like clouds drifting across the sky. They appear, change, and disappear without any effort from you. Can you see where a thought comes from? Can you see where it goes when it vanishes? This exercise invites you to question the deeply ingrained belief that you are the thinker of your thoughts. What if you are not the creator of thoughts but simply aware of their coming and going? Recognizing this can reduce your identification with thoughts, bringing greater ease and freedom to the mind. Exercise: Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably for a few minutes without distraction. Close your eyes to minimize external input. Observe your thoughts as they arise. Don’t try to stop or control them - just let them move freely. Ask yourself: Where did this thought come from? Did I choose to think it, or did it just appear? What happens if I wait for the next thought—can I predict what it will be? Notice how thoughts emerge and dissolve on their own. Like waves in the ocean, they come and go, but the ocean itself remains unchanged. Shift your perspective: Instead of being the thinker, simply be the one aware of thoughts. Awareness itself does not change - it remains still and present, no matter what thoughts arise. Common Pitfalls & Insights: The urge to control thoughts: Many people feel frustrated when they try to “catch” where a thought begins. But that’s the whole point - thoughts arise spontaneously, without effort. Notice the frustration too - it’s just another thought! The insight into thought’s fleeting nature: The more you observe, the clearer it becomes that thoughts have their own rhythm. They never stay for long, and they don’t need to be analyzed or taken seriously. Freedom from identification: When you realize that thoughts come and go without you needing to do anything, you naturally stop taking them so personally. This can create a deep sense of lightness and freedom. Practical Applications in Daily Life: Break the cycle of overthinking: When you notice yourself caught in rumination, pause and ask: Where did this thought come from? Do I even need to follow it? This simple shift can bring you back to presence. Reduce worry and repetitive thinking: If you find yourself stuck in anxious thoughts, observe them like passing trains - you don’t need to jump on. Just watch them come and go. Practice in everyday moments: While waiting in line, standing at a bus stop, or during a quiet moment - notice where thoughts arise. Try predicting your next thought. Often, you’ll be surprised to find that you can’t control it at all! Deeper Reflection: What happens if you stop believing your thoughts are absolute truth? What if thoughts are just like sounds or scents - experiences that arise and pass, but don’t need to be taken personally? By exploring this exercise, you may gradually realize that the real you is not your thoughts, but the open, clear space in which all thoughts appear and disappear. -  Let this exercise become part of your day.  - You don’t need to do anything special with it. Perhaps you begin your day by reflecting on the question, then let it rest in the background. If you’d like, read the exercise again in the evening and see if anything new has surfaced. Remember: There is nothing to achieve here. There is no "right" or "wrong" experience. All you are doing is gently turning your attention toward the awareness that is already present - and letting everything else take care of itself. With warmth, Suzanne

Objective We often assume that we are located somewhere—perhaps behind the eyes, in the head, in the heart, or within the body. But have you ever examined this directly? Where exactly are you? By questioning this, you may realize that you are not a thing in a place, but the open awareness in which everything arises. Why is this important? Where we believe ourselves to be determines how we experience ourselves and the world. If we believe we are confined to a body, we see ourselves as separate, subject to life’s circumstances, dependent on things going our way. We then try to defend, improve, or change the version of ourselves we think we are. But what if we discover that we cannot locate ourselves anywhere - that we are not enclosed in a form but rather the space in which all experiences arise? Then everything changes. The realization that we do not exist in a fixed place, but are instead the very space where everything happens, can make it impossible to ever feel truly stuck again. Suddenly, we are no longer a limited being in the world, but the open awareness in which the world is experienced. Worry, stress, and struggle lose their grip on us because they no longer seem to happen to a specific, limited “me” - they are simply passing movements within awareness, appearing, shifting, and dissolving again. Exploring where we exist - or do not exist - is not just a philosophical question. It is a direct path to freedom. Exercise Ask yourself: Where am I? Am I behind my eyes? Am I in my head? Am I in my heart? Am I somewhere in my body? Look for a sense of location. Is there a real place where you can say “I” begins and ends? Look at your right hand - are you in there? If it feels like you are behind your eyes, ask: What is aware of that feeling? Can what is aware of a feeling itself have a location? Explore the boundaries of your experience. Close your eyes and try to travel to the outer edge of awareness. Can you reach a boundary or an endpoint? If there were an end, wouldn’t you have to be aware of it? Rest in the realization that you are not confined to any place. If you cannot find a specific place where you are, what does that mean? Are you a fixed point in space, or the open field in which everything happens? Common Pitfall The mind may reflexively try to assign you a location - out of habit, as if you must be inside the body. Notice this reflex and ask: If I were a place, how would I know? If I were inside the body, what is aware of the body? See that no fixed location can ever be found - only the open awareness that perceives everything. Practical Application When feeling stuck in the sense of being a limited, separate individual, return to this question: Where am I? If you feel trapped in a situation, notice that the feeling of confinement is simply appearing within the boundless presence that you are. If you feel affected by something happening “to you,” explore whether there is a separate “you” it is happening to - or if everything is simply appearing within that which is aware. If you believe you are a person in a specific location, notice that the very sense of “place” is itself just an experience appearing within you. As this becomes clear, the idea that you must be somewhere dissolves - and you see that you are the pure being in which all experiences unfold.     -  Let this exercise become part of your day.  - You don’t need to do anything special with it. Perhaps you begin your day by reflecting on the question, then let it rest in the background. If you’d like, read the exercise again in the evening and see if anything new has surfaced. Remember, there is nothing to achieve here. There is no "right" or "wrong" experience. All you are doing is gently turning your attention toward the awareness that is already present - and letting everything else take care of itself. With warmth, Suzanne