"Practicing Presence" (Joy Prouty)

TITLE: Practicing Presence: A Mother's Guide to Savoring Life through the Photos You're Already Taking
AUTHOR: Joy Prouty
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2023, (pages).
 

It is a familiar sight. At a restaurant, prior to eating the food on the plate, people would bring out their phones to snap a picture. They would then post it on social media to tell the world about what they are eating. Almost everybody has a smartphone these days. Many have more than one due to the rapid technology upgrades and device depreciation. Instead of snapping the picture, posting it, and forgetting it, how about learning to take time to let the photos help us appreciate the little things in life? Not only can that provide a sense of relief in an emotionally fast-paced world, but it also offers some rest and respite for the body to heal. Using the camera as the main tool to capture meaningful moments, author Joy Prouty shares her journey of photography and how the photos enable her to savor life and affirm relationships. She shows us that we do not need to photoshop, crop, or manipulate faces just to appear perfect instead of real. She applies this orientation to herself by taking pictures as they are instead of posed. Take pictures without judgment. Any picture taken would then be considered one that contains something worth remembering. Authentic vs. artificial. Real vs. Posed. Actual vs. Perfect. In all of these, Prouty convincingly argues for the former. In fact, it is the unposed, imperfect, and candid snapshots that enable us to remember and tell our stories of loved ones. Part One is a personal story about her journey through discovering the importance of being present. Using personal interactions with her children, readers can share Prouty's experiences with childlike imagination, discover the true meaning of joy, and empathize with difficult moments in life. She even takes issue with her own name (Joy) as she reflects upon her melancholic disposition. One intriguing assertion is how "mothers are the memory makers." Part Two looks at the nitty-gritty of how to practice the art of presence. Using the camera as a key tool to create memories, Prouty encourages us to develop a habit of attentiveness to those precious moments in life. A picture taken is evidence that something there is worth our time and attention. She gives us a 4-step presence principle as follows;

1. Slow down and breathe
2. Set an intention and write it everywhere
3. Engage in a sensory-rich moment
4. Focus and take a picture

Part Three is where the practice deals with inner spirituality with awareness of our true worth. Prouty takes us through various tenets of self-awareness and development. Practices like taking our own photographs toward self-validation without critiquing them. Using the presence principle, she helps us apply this to cultivating compassion; acknowledging beauty; welcoming light; seeking to strengthen our foundations; knowing our bodies; recognizing our strengths; leaving behind a legacy; and being mindful of our creativity. These and many more help us practice true presence.

My Thoughts

This is a unique book that highlights three key areas: Be Present; Be Real; and Be Thankful. Firstly, we are reminded to take time to be present for the more important things in life. We live in a fast-paced world. Phrases like "I'm busy," "I've not enough time," and "I need a vacation," are becoming commonplace among colleagues, acquaintances, friends, and family. Sometimes, even after taking a long vacation, one might even say they need a vacation to recover from the vacation! Parenting has many challenges which might explain why there are so many couples reluctant to have children, or for that matter, more children. Here, Prouty shows us how we can reclaim childlike imagination to learn to take time and enjoy the moment. Parents will know how time flies. Before they can realize it, children will have grown up and if their younger selves are not photographed, they might be lost forever. 

Secondly, we need to cultivate greater authenticity beginning with ourselves. In our efforts to take the perfect shot, the taking of photographs can often mask our real selves. Social media is full of people who Instagram their best looks even when they do not particularly feel that great. I like the chapter about "Letting Go of Perfect Pictures." Prouty notes that far too many people are taking perfect pictures because they are too conscious of what other people think. The trouble is that when that happens, we become slaves to the opinions of others. If we truly desire authenticity, we need to free ourselves from the burden of trying to please everybody else. Learning to flee from the fear of shame is essential.

Thirdly, it is a reminder for us to be thankful for who we are. I appreciate how Prouty uses the ubiquitous camera and applies its use to the cultivation of personal spirituality. Call it the spiritual side of photography. With nearly half the book dedicated to the practice of being present to self virtues, this book feels like a self-help book. In particular, I appreciate the poetry at the end of each chapter that helps us be thankful. Thanks to Prouty, taking photographs will never be the same again.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Books via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.