‘A sense of the universe, a sense of the all, the nostalgia which seizes us when confronted by nature, beauty, music – these seem to be an expectation and awareness of a Great Presence’. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
This beautiful quote by philosopher Teilhard du Chardin describes both the accessible and ‘everyday’ portals to an awareness of presence, as well as the more existential. True presence is ineffable. It’s an experience, a quality, a relationship with something profound that stirs us – maybe deeply and for a long time, maybe in a more transient way, but it touches us.
Some people connect with this quality in music, others in nature. Some will look at the stars and planets in the night sky and feel the vastness as a presence – an energy that goes beyond rational thought. It draws us in, moves us into another sphere of awareness which both expands and upholds us. As it opens us and exposes us to our sense of self, it simultaneously wraps us in a comfort blanket of love.
The quality of a great presence (maybe not the ‘Great Presence’ that de Chardin refers to) is also possible when meeting another human being. When we consider someone with great presence, we may think of someone who has a wonderful inner peace, an equilibrium that embraces all and absorbs it without being distorted. They are like a magnetic force both radiating and attracting. We often think of ‘saints’ or religious people – Gandhi, Mandela, Mother Teresa – all of whom undoubtedly had great presence which we might also call grace, balance and an inner peace, and the bar can feel too high for our own journey to such qualities.
These leaders, as we know all had challenges that they had to overcome, all faced human struggles – personally and in their chosen vocation, and within that, because of those struggles and a striving toward a better version of themselves, their leadership impact or presence grew exponentially. Not just as a media fuelled reputation, but as a living expression of great human presence. As humans able to change the chemistry in a room, to have an impact on those who met them, to change lives.
We are all leaders capable of emulating the impact of a fabulous piece of music or a great mountain. We too can exude the qualities of presence and cast a powerful, uplifting, gracious and nurturing radiatory field in every interaction – whether one to one or within a group or a large crowd. If we strive for inner peace, equilibrium and grace we will find ourselves able to hold and share so much more. Let’s be that radiatory presence that fosters peace and balance across our world.