Takeaways from the workshop: Developing Your Personal Presence

Presence might be difficult to define, but it’s almost instantly recognizable. Check here what you need to know to start creating yours

Presence can be defined as being here and now. We can be physically present in a space or a situation, but if we aren’t actively engaging with, or listening to, our surroundings and audience, we might be perceived as lacking presence. Being, and becoming, perfectly present is a process; we are not necessarily going to be perfectly present today, or tomorrow, but it is something that we can actively strive for. “If you are invested in what you are doing, then you have presence”, says  Melissa Freilich, a member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and the American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT). She is also a certified teacher of this method, a well-established mind-body practice that leads to ease of movement and may alleviate tension. On February 15th, she facilitated an online session on the topic for members of the NWNY community. Participants learned the importance of ease, creating space, and listening, when it comes to presence.

Introductions were made by way of favorite foods and what had brought us to the workshop. We opened up with a game of passing an imaginary ball of energy back and forth through our screens, calling on another attendee that we wished to send it to. If we chose to accept the ball, we drew it in close to our chest and then sent it on, but we could also block the attempt, and return the ball to the sender. In the chat box, we were to keep a watchful eye for when our favorite food was mentioned, as this required us to call on someone else’s favorite food, while also accepting and passing on, or blocking, the ball of energy. Combining both games required us to actively focus on what someone else was giving us, and be open to moving, speaking, and trying something new.

The Alexander Technique is one, undemanding method, that can be incorporated into our day-to-day life, to work towards creating presence. For the last 100 years, it has taught individuals how to change faulty postural habits to enable improved mobility, posture, performance and alertness along with relief of chronic stiffness, tension and stress. Melissa taught the group how to apply this technique in the comfort and ease of our own homes. Lying down on a soft but firm surface, we rested our heads on a few books, and bent our knees to release the lower back. We were to allow the ground to support us and let our muscles lengthen., “It’s about taking up your space and not having much tension”, Melissa said. We then took turns reaching out each arm, then each leg, imagining that each limb was lightly being pulled on, before bringing our hands up to touch the books under our heads. Finally, we stood and shook it out, and then walked around and noticed what was different. Upon releasing and easing any tension, we are able to take up space.

Upon engaging in this exercise, attendees reported feeling lighter, almost as though they were floating. Their chests were open and they felt relaxed. With all of the time that we are spending at home, sitting at our desks, working, studying, learning, and the like, Melissa reminded us that: “Checking in with yourself and being mindful of how you feel”, is important. Listening, improving posture, and easing up before a presentation, were key takeaways that could be implemented right away.