Reflections on Presence and Goals: A Chat With Phil

The other day I had a chat with Phil. Having conversations with him over the last two years has added some levity to life. Recently, I asked him: What are you looking forward to throughout the rest of your life? Do you have any goals or aims?

Phil gave me an answer I won’t forget. Being in the ‘work’ (a word used to describe an intimate orientation towards living in presence), he said that anything he does is all done with that compass in mind. For example, although he wants to travel more, he only wants to do that because he wants more ‘juice’ for the ‘work’.

One of the key ideas I’ve learnt is the idea of ‘Impressions/Food’ — and how they can help our connection with presence. Seeing a beautiful piece of art, gazing towards an incredible sunset, or experiencing a moment with a beautiful woman — all these things are ‘positive impressions’ that can give us ‘juice’.

The more juice we have to feed off regularly, the more present and elevated we become. The right food gives us that ‘inner soar’. Which invariably takes us towards sinking deeper into the moment. And that ‘high’ feeling, sometimes can trickle down for up to days, or weeks after, depending on its strength and impact.

That’s what Phil is after. It’s not the adventures per se. Or the curiosity to see new sites and destinations. Or to tick things off a list before he dies. He wants the emotional immersion, that will help deepen his state of presence. He wants peak experiences, that affect his state of consciousness and leave their mark.

Valuing your emotional resonance, above external aims, is a step up in your approach towards life. You’re emphasizing your inner world, above the outer world. Most people do it the other way around. When I began to understand Phil’s viewpoint more deeply, something rewired itself: I realised that I can value my inner world, through any intention I have.

For example, if I want to make some money the ‘intention’ behind that would be so that I have more freedom to be present in the conditions I want. And then to be able to buy the experiences that help give me ‘juice’.

If I want to live somewhere new in the future, it will because it’ll be an environment that allows me to sink deeper into the present. If I choose to get into a relationship, it’ll because I believe this woman’s presence in my life, will help deepen my state of presence. And on and on… every possible thing I could want can get sublimated into that overarching theme of ‘presence/god/and love’.

I find that fascinating!