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Practicing Presence: Insights from the Streets: (Mindfulness and Homelessness)
Written from the perspective of life on the streets, Practicing Presence is an uncommon invitation to deepen your practice of presence, or mindfulness.
In 1999 Phyllis Cole-Dai lived by choice for forty-seven days on the streets of Columbus, Ohio. Together with James Murray, she practiced being present among chronically homeless people, offering them sustained attention and compassionate acceptance. She and James eventually recounted their story in The Emptiness of Our Hands, an "eye-opening" and "life-changing" read.
Ten years later Phyllis wrote this series of forty-seven reflections to commemorate their streets experience, elaborate further on practicing presence, and continue to bear witness to those who are homeless. Each reflection is based on an excerpt from The Emptiness of Our Hands. Originally published on her blog, the series has been compiled and lightly edited in this volume. Her insights remain as relevant as ever.
Also included in Practicing Presence are street photographs of Phyllis that have never been published.
Read this book on its own or in the company of The Emptiness of Our Hands. Take it slow, perhaps one chapter per day, so you can absorb and reflect.
If you happen to be Christian, you might consider using this book and The Emptiness of Our Hands as companion resources during Lent and Holy Week, which served as a backdrop for Phyllis and James's experience. But you don’t need to be a Christian to take this stumbling journey into practicing mindfulness on the streets. Just allow these forty-seven days to be for you what they were for Phyllis and a deep embrace of core values that human beings around the world have held in common for millennia. These values might best be articulated as
How do we treat others as we would have them treat us? How do we love our neighbors, including those who seem “alien” and “other?” How do we extend hospitality to strangers, allowing them an honored place among us?
These age-old questions have no simple answers. We must seek to answer them daily with our lives.
Get your free sampler of Phyllis's work when you join her mailing list at her website. It includes music, poetry, spiritual nonfiction and historical fiction.
CATEGORIES FOR PRACTICING --memoir --mindfulness --homelessness --Lent & Holy Week --social conscience --engaged Buddhism
In 1999 Phyllis Cole-Dai lived by choice for forty-seven days on the streets of Columbus, Ohio. Together with James Murray, she practiced being present among chronically homeless people, offering them sustained attention and compassionate acceptance. She and James eventually recounted their story in The Emptiness of Our Hands, an "eye-opening" and "life-changing" read.
Ten years later Phyllis wrote this series of forty-seven reflections to commemorate their streets experience, elaborate further on practicing presence, and continue to bear witness to those who are homeless. Each reflection is based on an excerpt from The Emptiness of Our Hands. Originally published on her blog, the series has been compiled and lightly edited in this volume. Her insights remain as relevant as ever.
Also included in Practicing Presence are street photographs of Phyllis that have never been published.
Read this book on its own or in the company of The Emptiness of Our Hands. Take it slow, perhaps one chapter per day, so you can absorb and reflect.
If you happen to be Christian, you might consider using this book and The Emptiness of Our Hands as companion resources during Lent and Holy Week, which served as a backdrop for Phyllis and James's experience. But you don’t need to be a Christian to take this stumbling journey into practicing mindfulness on the streets. Just allow these forty-seven days to be for you what they were for Phyllis and a deep embrace of core values that human beings around the world have held in common for millennia. These values might best be articulated as
How do we treat others as we would have them treat us? How do we love our neighbors, including those who seem “alien” and “other?” How do we extend hospitality to strangers, allowing them an honored place among us?
These age-old questions have no simple answers. We must seek to answer them daily with our lives.
Get your free sampler of Phyllis's work when you join her mailing list at her website. It includes music, poetry, spiritual nonfiction and historical fiction.
CATEGORIES FOR PRACTICING --memoir --mindfulness --homelessness --Lent & Holy Week --social conscience --engaged Buddhism
- GenresNonfiction
160 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 22, 2018
101 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Phyllis Cole-Dai
19 books29 followers
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Phyllis Cole-Dai began pecking away on an old manual typewriter in childhood and never stopped. Her work explores things that tend to divide us, so that we might wrestle our way into deeper understandings of ourselves and others.
She has authored or edited more than a dozen books in multiple genres. Her latest book is The Singing Stick, a literary novel (September 2024). Other recent titles include Poetry of Presence II: More Mindfulness Poems, Staying Power II: Writings from a Year of Emergence, Staying Power: Writings from a Pandemic Year, For the Sake of One We Love and Are Losing: A Meditative Poem & Journal, Beneath the Same Stars: A Novel of the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War, and Poetry of Presence: An Anthology of Mindfulness Poetry.
Personal Background
Born in 1962 in the farming community of Mt. Blanchard, Ohio, Phyllis eventually graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (English, 1984) from Goshen College; a Master of Theological Studies (1987) from the Methodist Theological School; and a Master of Arts (English, 1993) from The Ohio State University.
Phyllis and her scientist-husband have lived for the past quarter-century in Brookings, South Dakota. In 2025 they will relocate to Catonsville, Maryland.
Speaking
Phyllis has long been in demand as a public speaker. She has appeared in all kinds of settings—religious, spiritual, educational, philanthropic, social-service, and civic. She still presents as her busy schedule allows. Please contact her if you would like to discuss booking possibilities.
Phyllis Cole-Dai began pecking away on an old manual typewriter in childhood and never stopped. Her work explores things that tend to divide us, so that we might wrestle our way into deeper understandings of ourselves and others.
She has authored or edited more than a dozen books in multiple genres. Her latest book is The Singing Stick, a literary novel (September 2024). Other recent titles include Poetry of Presence II: More Mindfulness Poems, Staying Power II: Writings from a Year of Emergence, Staying Power: Writings from a Pandemic Year, For the Sake of One We Love and Are Losing: A Meditative Poem & Journal, Beneath the Same Stars: A Novel of the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War, and Poetry of Presence: An Anthology of Mindfulness Poetry.
Personal Background
Born in 1962 in the farming community of Mt. Blanchard, Ohio, Phyllis eventually graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (English, 1984) from Goshen College; a Master of Theological Studies (1987) from the Methodist Theological School; and a Master of Arts (English, 1993) from The Ohio State University.
Phyllis and her scientist-husband have lived for the past quarter-century in Brookings, South Dakota. In 2025 they will relocate to Catonsville, Maryland.
Speaking
Phyllis has long been in demand as a public speaker. She has appeared in all kinds of settings—religious, spiritual, educational, philanthropic, social-service, and civic. She still presents as her busy schedule allows. Please contact her if you would like to discuss booking possibilities.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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November 22, 2023Moving book, a must read if you care about our world
I did a lot of underlining, a book I'll come back too and chew on. Phyllis writes with insight and wisdom needed in our culture today.
I did a lot of underlining, a book I'll come back too and chew on. Phyllis writes with insight and wisdom needed in our culture today.
November 7, 2021
Written with an open heart
The book struck a deep chord of resonance an understanding. I felt seen and realized you don't have to be homeless to be ghosted. Among many other things. I reached out and touched your hand Phyllis. I see you too. Last time I felt like this I was reading Osho. Thank you for writing this book.
The book struck a deep chord of resonance an understanding. I felt seen and realized you don't have to be homeless to be ghosted. Among many other things. I reached out and touched your hand Phyllis. I see you too. Last time I felt like this I was reading Osho. Thank you for writing this book.
August 27, 2023
A quick yet not easy read about the author’s account of her experience on the streets of Ohio for 47 days. We take so much for granted; this book is a wake up call to the suffering that is experienced by millions of people daily, and really makes you look at your own life - and that of those around you - in a different light.
September 21, 2020
Life changing
Everyone should read this. It touches your core and teaches one to do to others as one would like to be done to. It has given me a new lens to look at my fellow travellers whilst on this planet. Would love to have a hard copy of the book.
Everyone should read this. It touches your core and teaches one to do to others as one would like to be done to. It has given me a new lens to look at my fellow travellers whilst on this planet. Would love to have a hard copy of the book.
September 1, 2024
Very thought provoking.
August 29, 2020
A perfect companion to "Emptiness of our hands"
I was pleased to have this additional insight into a world that most of us will never experience.
So well written and such a fresh point of view of the trials and tests of the street. Brava!!
I was pleased to have this additional insight into a world that most of us will never experience.
So well written and such a fresh point of view of the trials and tests of the street. Brava!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews