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Welcome

I’m so glad you’re here.

Life can be hectic and difficult, filled with busy-ness and overload. Welcome Presence aims to be a small refuge from that, a place you can come to and explore ways to build a little more space in your life.

welcome bioI’m Dave Rowley, and I’m passionate about helping people find ways to be more fully present.

I see presence as a kind of doorway into belonging. Miranda July wrote a book of short stories with my all-time favorite title:

Nobody Belongs Here More Than You.

I was working in a book store when it came out, and I used to see that book as I walked past it’s shelf multiple times every shift. It was like a personal message of encouragement popping out at me all through the day.

And I adapted it as a kind of mantra:

Nobody Belongs Here More Than You.

Nobody Belongs Here More Than You.

Nobody Belongs Here More Than You.

That statement feels the most true for me, when I’m feeling present and aware. I can see how deeply that statement applies to other people, too.

There are a lot of simple habits you can develop that will help you to become more present. They include:

  • being attentive with all of our senses
  • noticing the small and meaningful details as we move through our days
  • celebrating everyday beauty

We will talk about all of these things here and more.

I’m a presence coach

When I work with clients we spend a lot of time practicing simple and enjoyable ways of being present. This often helps the client to get in touch with their inner resources and knowledge, and experience their ability to be at ease, even when everything around them is chaotic.

This way of working is respectful of our bodies, our life situations, and the unique gifts that we all bring to the world.

What happens at Welcome Presence

  • We get in touch with the current of aliveness that moves just below the surface of our lives
  • We notice the small and meaningful details as we move through our days
  • We explore with a sense of curiosity

Some things that have shaped me and what I do

welcome about 2ndMy Family:

I live in Seattle with my wife and our two young sons. I love our life together it’s hilarious, heartwarming and great privilege to parent those two guys and being their father makes me want to be as present and aware as I possibly can.

My Presence Practices:

Twenty years ago I walked into a small Buddhist centre, sat awkwardly facing a wall and tried meditation for the first time.

As we drank tea afterwards, the teacher asked us all how it went.

I told her that I was terrible at meditation, my head was full of thoughts, and I didn’t think I could do this. She replied that I had actually done well. She said those countless thoughts were probably churning away 24 hours a day, and that for the first time I had managed to stop and be present to them.

Two weeks later I attended my first meditation retreat.  I’ve been immersed in studying, reading, and practicing different kinds of meditation ever since.

Sensory awareness practices, journaling, yoga are some of the other practices I’ve picked up along the way that teach me ways to be more present.

Surfing:

Ah, the other two-decade passion in my life!

Surfing was how I earned my Bachelors degree in ‘Having Fun’, my Masters in ‘Energy Work’‘, and my PhD in ‘Body awareness through Conscious Relationship with My Surroundings’.

Community Development Work:

For nearly a decade I worked as an Alcohol and Other Drugs Worker. I clocked in over a thousand hours of workshop training, presentations, and small group work in schools, community centers, and prisons.

I used arts-based projects to connect with people who were facing difficult issues.

Working with young people, parents, teachers, health and community workers and prisoners taught me that just a scratch below the surface we are all creative, resilient people who want to do good things.

Contact:

If you’re interested in learning more about being present to the things that matter in your life, you can sign up for my weekly newsletter here:

Want to talk?

You can hang out with me on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/welcomepresence

Or you can find me on Twitter. @welcomepresence

I would also love to hear from you via email. Just use the form below.

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