1. 12
2011.09
10
U
(presencing) 2.
‧ (John
Milton)
U ‧ (Otto Scharmer) ‧
(Peter Senge) 3.
‧ (John
Milton)
–
U
–
(Crestone)
–
- 4.
U
1.
( -
)
U
1

2. 9.
(
( U
) )
(
)
( )
(presence)
10.
5. (
(presence) )
- (
)
(Qi/ )
11.
6.
(
)
7. 12.
U
13.
8.
(Tonglen)

3. C P Y E N F O U N D A T I O N
12 Principles for Presencing
September 2011
This August 2011 the CPYF took a deep dive into Theory Then learn to decontract and relax your body, emotions,
U’s presencing concept by joining a 10 day vision quest in thoughts and mind. Let go of all that you download: old ideas,
the Colorado mountains with John Milton, pundit behind the judgments, emotions, structures, your own expectations, your
presencing concept and spiritual teacher to Theory U authors need for approval or acceptance, and your idea of progress.
Otto Scharmer and Peter Senge, This September’s
newsletter offers one perspective on the meaning of presence Over time, replace habitual patterns of automatic contraction,
as explained by John Milton’s Twelve Principles. with habits of meeting life through openness and letting go.
These principles are an essentialization of Buddhist, Taoist, Trust your unfolding life - unwind, empty completely and
Dzogchen, Tantra, Vedanta, and several Shamanic paths; remain open to the fresh present. This deepening trust brings
John Milton developed them to serve as a guide for you to this 3rd Principle: Surrender.
discovering our immense creativity available at the base of
the U where we presence from our primordial awareness - As you surrender completely to the flow of life's forms and
our source. anchor your being in the stability of timeless presence, even
the effort to let go and trust is released.
John taught these 12 Principles to a small group of
practitioners, for ten days they sat in a dialogue circle
beneath the foliage of aspen and pinion trees, on a 4. Remain in the Now
mountaintop in Crestone, Colorado, Three of these days
were spent in solo retreat - John’s preferred “container” for Become aware of your distractions. Stay with present
directly experiencing the union of one’s inner and outer perception, emotion, and thought as it arises rather than
nature - and contemplated on the meaning of each principle. withdrawing to the past or leaping to the future. Refine
As you read the following principles, we invite you to Nowness. As open spaces arise between emotions & thoughts,
likewise contemplate this pathway to the bottom of the U: rest in the gap and let the clarity of your pure awareness settle
naturally in itself. Enjoy the bliss of Nowness.
1. The fundamental truth: all forms are interconnected, Remaining in the Now elicits true listening, enabling
constantly changing and continuously arising from and connection and trusting relationships with others,
returning to primordial source spontaneously generating appropriate response from our innate
source of infinite creativity. When we live from the bottom of
All forms (material, energetic, perceptual, emotional and the U a co-creative genuine dialogue occurs.
thought - including the sense of self) are interdependent and
constantly transforming; arising from and dissolving into our
Source awareness. If we resist our boundless and formless The First Principle of the interconnected, constantly changing
true essence, we suffer; by surrendering to it, we dance in its nature of form, arising and dissolving from Primal Source lays
flow. the foundation for engaging the Second Principle, our
personal commitment to liberation (embarking on the U).
2. Commit yourself completely to liberation in this The Third Principle, relaxation, cultivates the conditions for
lifetime inner exploration, because if we are filled with bodily,
emotional and mental contractions there is little room for real
Shamans believe intent is the ultimate power. It activates spiritual insight and meditation practice.
like a match.
The Fourth Principle, presence, is the necessary companion
for relaxation; creating the essential qualities of alert, yet
3. Relax and surrender to life relaxed meditation. All the Principles build on each other in
this way.
Locate where you still hold contractions and tensions in your
body, emotions and mind.

4. 5. Cultivate union with universal energy awareness, source (primordial state) is realized as the
underlying reality from which all form, including yourself,
When present-centered awareness (presence) combines manifests; and extraordinary creativity occurs. Most
with relaxation - blockages (bodily, emotional, energetic innovations and breakthroughs have come through deep
and mental) are released, liberating life force (Qi/ ). communion with Source.
Make habit your friend and blockages your teacher.
11. Remain in recognition
6. Go with the universal flow
By mastering principles 1-10 one's path naturally
When energy liberates you experience an opening of the culminates in remaining in continuous, complete, flowing
heart; (love vitality) and the flow of natural movement recognition of source awareness. All forms, inner and
and stillness effortlessly express our creative Source. outer, are experienced as the natural display of source's
pure creativity.
7. Rest in the radiance of your open heart
12. Serve as a warrior of the open heart and liberated
The union of relaxation & presence unblocks and spirit
cultivates our radiant life force which is experienced as
pure, unconditional love which naturally arises as the Warriorship comes with the challenge of living the Twelve
direct innermost quality of relaxed, present, liberated Principles not just for yourself. At the bottom of the U we
energy. Through the natural deepening of this access our source capacity to bring innovative and
openhearted radiance, the separation between self and profoundly appropriate means of healing, happiness,
other gradually dissolves. integration and liberation for all our relations.
8. Active compassion arises naturally from 13. Don't Take All These 12 Principles too Seriously
unconditional love
The natural activity of open, unconditioned love,
generated from principles 1-7, is compassionate action.
It spontaneously arises from your heart essence and
manifests through inner practices like Tonglen, or
through outer services.
9. Cut through to clarity, spaciousness, and
luminosity of pure source awareness
A cutting through event (powerful as a thunderbolt or
subtle like a falling leaf) stops the world in an instant,
cutting through all obstacles (distractions, contractions,
attachments and aversions) to the direct experience of
source. Inner obscurations, including attachment to the
bliss of an open heart, are cut through in a moment
laying bare the naked essence of source (our pristine
awareness).
10. Return to source
The ninth principle cracks through the ego's seed coat
blocking source. By following perceptions back to