Presence, Volume I: The Art and Peace of Happiness is a collection of essays that deeply explore the nature of our self and the happiness for which we seek. These contemplations lead the reader to discover experientially that our self is not essentially the body or mind, but is in fact the aware being or Presence that knows them. When we stand knowingly as the witnessing Presence that we always are but have forgotten or overlooked, our self returns to its natural condition of open, empty, transparent Presence, and the peace and happiness that are inherent within it begin to percolate through all appearances of the body, mind and world.

The follow up book, Presence, Volume II: The Intimacy of All Experience, is available here.

‘Presence is a profound and luminous book with great power and is obviously the fruit of many years of contemplation. These two volumes together are a relentless and utterly thorough examination of the nature of experience, exploring every square centimeter of the territory with absolute excellence and ruthlessly precise analysis. Their astuteness and clarity will be extremely exciting to those readers who are ready for the next steps in lifting the veil of separation, and I suspect it will become a spiritual classic that readers will savor slowly and return to again and again.’
— Victoria Ritchie, former manager of Watkins Bookshop and editor for Eckhart Tolle

‘It seems that every generation produces a few unusually clear voices that call us back to our essential, undivided nature. Rupert Spira is such a voice, and the collection of essays in these two volumes are his songs, his hymns of remembrance and celebration. As with any song, we must be available to truly hear it. These overlapping writings are meant to be carefully pondered in order for their underlying, vibrant Silence to be heard and felt. Savor them slowly as you would a fine wine, a delicious meal, or an exceptionally beautiful sunset. Let the wisdom and love from which they come saturate you. Feel how they act on you. That in you which knows and loves the truth will respond to their call to come home to who you really are.’
— John J. Prendergast, PhD, Professor of Psychology (Emeritus) at California Institute of Integral Studies, author of ‘Listening from the Heart of Silence’ and ‘InTouch’.