Learn To Be A ‘Teacher of Presence’
A 12-Month Journey into Awakening,
Direct Realization & Authentic Spiritual Guidance
Facilitator: Marcus McKeown
Duration: 12 Months
Format: One Weekend per Month (In-Person at Yellow Rock Sanctuary) + One Evening per Month (Online)
What is a Teacher of Presence?
A Teacher of Presence is not a teacher in the conventional sense. They don’t give you a roadmap, they don’t hand you answers and they don’t promise you transformation in a few easy steps. They do something far more radical: they reflect the reality that nothing has ever been missing in you. This is not a path of becoming, it is a path of seeing through the illusion that there was ever anything to become.
For centuries, spiritual seekers have been misled by the idea that enlightenment is something to be attained, that awakening is a process, that freedom comes later, when you've done enough inner work. But what if that’s all just more mind-made illusion?
What if the only thing keeping you from realizing Truth… is the belief that you’re not already there? A Teacher of Presence holds space for this realization, not as an intellectual concept, not as a spiritual ideal, but as your direct, undeniable experience.
A Radical Invitation: Becoming a Teacher of Presence
There comes a moment in life when everything that once seemed important falls away. A moment where the endless search, the striving for meaning, the hunger for answers collapses into silence. And in that silence something profound is revealed. This program is not about learning more. It is about letting go of everything that is not real. It is not a path of self-improvement. It is a path of dismantling the illusion of self altogether.
To become a Teacher of Presence is not to master a method, a skill or a role. It is to step out of the way entirely so that life itself, truth itself, presence itself, moves through you untouched by personal agenda.
This program is a rite of passage, an invitation to radical surrender, a journey into the direct experience of reality.
Why Presence? Why This Path?
The modern world is filled with false promises of transformation. Everywhere you turn, there’s a new method, a new practice, a new philosophy claiming to:
✔ Help you manifest your ideal life
✔ Awaken your inner superpowers
✔ Align you with cosmic energies
✔ Unlock the secrets to permanent happiness
But let’s be honest, most of it doesn’t work. Why? Because it’s still built on the idea that you are incomplete, that you need to add something to yourself in order to be free. But Presence is not something you attain. It is who you already are.
The truth is, there is no secret technique that will fix you, because you were never broken. There is no future moment where you will finally get it, because Presence is only ever now. The Teacher of Presence embodies this direct truth. They do not lead you forward, they stop you in your tracks. They help you see that what you were searching for was never separate from you.
They guide you into radical acceptance, not as passive surrender, but as the most powerful transformation possible. Because once you truly accept this moment as it is, there is nothing left to resist, nothing left to seek, nothing left to fight.
That is freedom.
That is the only real awakening.
What Supports This Training?
Presence is not just a mental realization, it must be embodied.
This program integrates experiential practices that anchor Presence into the body, allowing you to feel, move and breathe from truth.
✔ Meditation & Stillness Training
Learning to rest in pure awareness.
✔ Tai Chi & Energy Flow Practices
Integrating presence in movement.
✔ Breathwork & Sound Healing
Using vibration and breath to bypass the analytical mind.
✔ Body Awareness & Movement Practices
Allowing presence to be fully felt in every action.
How Do You Arrive at This Understanding?
For many, the shift toward Presence happens after years of searching, trying, failing and repeating. Maybe you’ve spent years in spiritual circles, practicing meditation, chanting, working with affirmations, trying to quiet your mind. Maybe you’ve explored energy healing, manifestation techniques, trauma work, therapy, plant medicine or mystical experiences, all in the hope that one day, you will finally be free.
And yet… the seeking never seems to end. You might have had powerful moments of insight, but something still feels incomplete. At some point, you may have found yourself asking: ‘What if the very act of searching is keeping me from finding? What if I stop trying to get somewhere else… and just be here?’
This is where everything changes. You realize that nothing you add to yourself will bring you closer to Truth because Truth is what remains when everything is taken away.
A Teacher of Presence does not give you something new to chase. They show you how to stop running.
The Paradox: Using The Mind To Go Beyond Mind
Presence itself requires nothing but the mind that resists it does. The human mind clings to illusions, creating barriers where none exist. It non-stop fabricates stories, identities, beliefs & layer upon layer of conceptual thought only to wonder why it cannot rest.
To recognize Presence is not to acquire more knowledge, but to strip away the unnecessary to return to what has always been here. But before the mind can dissolve, it must be understood. This training will take you through a refinement process, not to improve the mind but to free it.
Presence is that which is beyond the mind, the problem is that you only have the mind to go beyond the mind, so how is that done. In truth there is nothing to do but in order to understand that you will need to learn a few concepts and slowly allow them become your default way of managing matters of the mind…
Engaging in Deep Critical Thinking
Not to accumulate more concepts, but to see where language distorts truth, where conditioned thought limits perception.
Mastering the Art of Discernment
Learning to recognize what is real and what is false, to see through illusion without becoming entangled in it.
Living Beyond Belief Systems
Stepping outside inherited conditioning, freeing oneself from the stories of past experience, learning to be with life as it is, without needing it to be different.
The Mystics Who Walked This Path Before You
Throughout history, there have been those who did not seek to teach, but who became so empty of self that their presence itself became a teaching.
The Transformational Journey of the Participant
This is not just training, it is a restructuring of perception, of identity, of the very way you experience life itself. Before you can hold space for another, you must:
Hildegard of Bingen
A visionary, healer, and composer, Hildegard saw all of life as an interconnected symphony of the divine.
Christian Mystics:
Surrendering to the Divine
Non-Christian Mystics:The Boundless Nature of Truth
Symeon the New Theologian
A mystic of direct experience, Symeon shattered the illusion that one must wait for heaven to know God.
St. Teresa of Ávila
The traveler of the Interior Castle, revealing that the greatest truths are found within.
St. John of the Cross
The poet of The Dark Night of the Soul, who taught that true liberation comes not from gaining, but from losing everything false.
Rumi
A lover of the divine, Rumi sang of the end of the self, where only love remains.
Laozi
The sage of the Tao, whispering: Be like water.
Ramana Maharshi
The silent guru, who pointed seekers beyond all concepts, all beliefs, into the direct recognition of Self.
Rabi’a al-Adawiyya
The Sufi mystic who declared, I want to love God for God, not for heaven or hell.
Yeshe Tsogyal
The Tibetan yogini who proved that realization is not for the few, but the birthright of all.
Dismantle the False Self
Face the egoic patterns, inherited beliefs, and unconscious narratives that keep you bound in illusion.
Integrate Life Experiences with Clarity and Awareness
Develop the capacity to see how past experiences, conditioning and faith systems have shaped your identity and learn to let go of what no longer serves.
Embody Authentic Presence in All Situations
Learn to stay grounded, spacious and fully present, whether in deep contemplation or in the ordinary movements of daily life.
Surrender to the Great Mystery
Develop the trust to let life itself become your teacher, relinquishing control and embracing divine intelligence as your guide.
The Paradox: Using The Mind To Go Beyond Mind
Presence itself requires nothing but the mind that resists it does. The human mind clings to illusions, creating barriers where none exist. It non-stop fabricates stories, identities, beliefs & layer upon layer of conceptual thought only to wonder why it cannot rest.
To recognize Presence is not to acquire more knowledge, but to strip away the unnecessary to return to what has always been here. But before the mind can dissolve, it must be understood. This training will take you through a refinement process, not to improve the mind but to free it.
Presence is that which is beyond the mind, the problem is that you only have the mind to go beyond the mind, so how is that done. In truth there is nothing to do but in order to understand that you will need to learn a few concepts and slowly allow them become your default way of managing matters of the mind…
Engaging in Deep Critical Thinking
Not to accumulate more concepts, but to see where language distorts truth, where conditioned thought limits perception.
Mastering the Art of Discernment
Learning to recognize what is real and what is false, to see through illusion without becoming entangled in it.
Living Beyond Belief Systems
Stepping outside inherited conditioning, freeing oneself from the stories of past experience, learning to be with life as it is, without needing it to be different.
This program is not an intellectual exercise, it is a living practice.
The Transformational Journey of the Participant
This is not just training, it is a restructuring of perception, of identity, of the very way you experience life itself. Before you can hold space for another, you must:
The Mystics Who Walked This Path Before You
Throughout history, there have been those who did not seek to teach, but who became so empty of self that their presence itself became a teaching.
Christian Mystics:
Surrendering to the Divine
Non-Christian Mystics:
The Boundless Nature of Truth
Hildegard of Bingen
A visionary, healer, and composer, Hildegard saw all of life as an interconnected symphony of the divine.
Symeon the New Theologian
A mystic of direct experience, Symeon shattered the illusion that one must wait for heaven to know God.
St. Teresa of Ávila
The traveler of the Interior Castle, revealing that the greatest truths are found within.
St. John of the Cross
The poet of The Dark Night of the Soul, who taught that true liberation comes not from gaining, but from losing everything false.
Rumi
A lover of the divine, Rumi sang of the end of the self, where only love remains.
Laozi
The sage of the Tao, whispering: Be like water.
Ramana Maharshi
The silent guru, who pointed seekers beyond all concepts, all beliefs, into the direct recognition of Self.
Rabi’a al-Adawiyya
The Sufi mystic who declared, I want to love God for God, not for heaven or hell.
Yeshe Tsogyal
The Tibetan yogini who proved that realization is not for the few, but the birthright of all.
Session I:
Understanding True Healing
This session peels back the layers on the nature of healing. Healing is not just the cessation of pain or the removal of symptoms; it is a profound surrender, a return to stillness where conflict ceases. “Peace comes not from the absence of conflict,” teaches spiritual master Thich Nhat Hanh, “but from the ability to cope with it.” We investigate the mind's role in creating both confusion and clarity, learning how to find peace in the stillness beyond thought. Understanding who you are & the idea of healing as an experience is a complex simplicity and a simple complexity. During this session we begin to deal with the contradictions and mind tricks that keep people locked out of their own potential and stuck in life experiences that remain forever limited.
Session II:
The Mind-Body Connection
In this interactive session, we explore bio-cognitive and transpersonal psychology, examining how daily behaviors and thought patterns hide the information necessary for healing. Guided by indigenous wisdom and classical philosophy, we discover how to interpret these signals and remove the blocks preventing harmony. “The body is the soul’s house,” said Plato, “Shouldn’t we therefore care for our bodies as if they belong to the divine?” We unpack what it means to nurture the mind-body connection, recognizing the body as a vessel of wisdom. Here we take a look at the role of intuition in your every day and how to live an intuitive life
Workshop Highlights
Session IV:
Realizing Non-Duality in Healing
The culmination of our day’s work is an invitation into the experience of non-duality, a perspective that transcends dualistic thinking, allowing for a unified field where healer and healed become one. Through practical exercises, we explore the state where healing is no longer an act, but a natural outcome of being. “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened,” Lao Tzu’s words resonate as we delve into what it means to experience oneself as both healer and healed. In a more authentic tone non-duality tells us that there is no healing because there is nothing & no one that needs to be healed. This session of the day truly challenges you to understand what it means to play in the field of oneness without the minds interference.
Session III:
Moving from Knowledge to Experience
This session shifts from intellectual understanding to direct experience. Here, we engage in meditative practices and silence to access the space where healing is allowed rather than forced. Inspired by non-dual teachings, this journey takes us from contemplation to realization, bridging the gap between the human story and the mystical experience. “Silence is the language of God,” wrote Rumi, “all else is poor translation.” During this session we get to experience some of the mystical and magical aspects of what it is to witness healing. As we sit into the observers position we soon understand more of the reason why healing is not known by so many but also how easy it can be to access the mystical and miraculous, even for those who think it could never happen for them
The Mystics Who Walked This Path Before You
Throughout history, there have been those who did not seek to teach, but who became so empty of self that their presence itself became a teaching.
Christian Mystics: Surrendering to the Divine
Hildegard of Bingen
A visionary, healer, and composer, Hildegard saw all of life as an interconnected symphony of the divine.
Symeon the New Theologian
A mystic of direct experience, Symeon shattered the illusion that one must wait for heaven to know God.
St. Teresa of Ávila
The traveler of the Interior Castle, revealing that the greatest truths are found within.
St. John of the Cross
The poet of The Dark Night of the Soul, who taught that true liberation comes not from gaining, but from losing everything false.
Non-Christian Mystics: The Boundless Nature of Truth
Rumi
A lover of the divine, Rumi sang of the end of the self, where only love remains.
Laozi
The sage of the Tao, whispering: Be like water.
Ramana Maharshi
The silent guru, who pointed seekers beyond all concepts, all beliefs, into the direct recognition of Self.
Rabi’a al-Adawiyya
The Sufi mystic who declared, I want to love God for God, not for heaven or hell.
Yeshe Tsogyal
The Tibetan yogini who proved that realization is not for the few, but the birthright of all.
Why Presence? Why This Path?
The modern world is filled with false promises of transformation. Everywhere you turn, there’s a new method, a new practice, a new philosophy claiming to:
✔ Help you manifest your ideal life
✔ Awaken your inner superpowers
✔ Align you with cosmic energies
✔ Unlock the secrets to permanent happiness
But let’s be honest, most of it doesn’t work. Why? Because it’s still built on the idea that you are incomplete, that you need to add something to yourself in order to be free. But Presence is not something you attain. It is who you already are.
The truth is, there is no secret technique that will fix you, because you were never broken.
There is no future moment where you will finally get it, because Presence is only ever now. The Teacher of Presence embodies this direct truth. They do not lead you forward, they stop you in your tracks. They help you see that what you were searching for was never separate from you.
They guide you into radical acceptance, not as passive surrender, but as the most powerful transformation possible. Because once you truly accept this moment as it is, there is nothing left to resist, nothing left to seek, nothing left to fight.
That is freedom.
That is the only real awakening.
The Transformational Journey of the Participant
This is not just training, it is a restructuring of perception, of identity, of the very way you experience life itself. Before you can hold space for another, you must:
Dismantle the False Self
Face the egoic patterns, inherited beliefs, and unconscious narratives that keep you bound in illusion.
Integrate Life Experiences with Clarity and Awareness
Develop the capacity to see how past experiences, conditioning and faith systems have shaped your identity and learn to let go of what no longer serves.
Embody Authentic Presence in All Situations
Learn to stay grounded, spacious and fully present, whether in deep contemplation or in the ordinary movements of daily life.
Surrender to the Great Mystery
Develop the trust to let life itself become your teacher, relinquishing control and embracing divine intelligence as your guide.
Dismantle the False Self
Face the egoic patterns, inherited beliefs, and unconscious narratives that keep you bound in illusion.
Integrate Life Experiences with Clarity and Awareness
Develop the capacity to see how past experiences, conditioning and faith systems have shaped your identity and learn to let go of what no longer serves.
Embody Authentic Presence in All Situations
Learn to stay grounded, spacious and fully present, whether in deep contemplation or in the ordinary movements of daily life.
Surrender to the Great Mystery
Develop the trust to let life itself become your teacher, relinquishing control and embracing divine intelligence as your guide.
What Supports This Training?
Presence is not just a mental realization, it must be embodied.
This program integrates experiential practices that anchor Presence into the body, allowing you to feel, move and breathe from truth.
✔ Meditation & Stillness Training – Learning to rest in pure awareness.
✔ Tai Chi & Energy Flow Practices – Integrating presence in movement.
✔ Breathwork & Sound Healing – Using vibration and breath to bypass the analytical mind.
✔ Body Awareness & Movement Practices – Allowing presence to be fully felt in every action.
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What Happens In A Session With A Teacher of Presence?
A session with a Teacher of Presence is simple. Almost deceptively simple.
-
You sit together, in silence or in conversation.
-
The teacher does not lead you nor do they interfere.
-
They listen, not just with their ears, but with full presence.
-
They are still, unshaken and completely open.
At first, you might expect guidance or advice but none comes. Instead, you begin to notice that something in you starts shifting on its own. The usual thoughts that run in circles begin to quiet. The things you thought mattered lose their power. You experience a sense of clarity that was never “given” to you, it simply arose when the noise settled. There are no techniques, no exercises, no mental frameworks.
Just Presence.
And in that space, you realize that this has been available to you all along.
Is This For You?
If you are still looking for something outside of yourself to complete you, this is not for you. If you are still hoping for a method, a technique or a process to bring you peace, this is not for you.
But if you are ready to stop seeking… If you are ready to see that what you have been chasing was never separate from you… If you are ready to allow everything to be exactly as it is and recognize the perfection in that… Then this is your invitation.
A Teacher of Presence does not give you anything. They simply show you what has been here all along.
If you are ready, step forward. If you hesitate… listen to the silence between the hesitation.
Because this is not just training.
This is the final threshold.
.jpg)
What Happens In A Session With A Teacher of Presence?
A session with a Teacher of Presence is simple. Almost deceptively simple.
-
You sit together, in silence or in conversation.
-
The teacher does not lead you nor do they interfere.
-
They listen, not just with their ears, but with full presence.
-
They are still, unshaken and completely open.
At first, you might expect guidance or advice but none comes. Instead, you begin to notice that something in you starts shifting on its own. The usual thoughts that run in circles begin to quiet. The things you thought mattered lose their power. You experience a sense of clarity that was never “given” to you, it simply arose when the noise settled. There are no techniques, no exercises, no mental frameworks.
Just Presence.
And in that space, you realize that this has been available to you all along.
Is This For You?
If you are still looking for something outside of yourself to complete you, this is not for you. If you are still hoping for a method, a technique or a process to bring you peace, this is not for you.
But if you are ready to stop seeking… If you are ready to see that what you have been chasing was never separate from you… If you are ready to allow everything to be exactly as it is and recognize the perfection in that… Then this is your invitation.
A Teacher of Presence does not give you anything. They simply show you what has been here all along.
If you are ready, step forward. If you hesitate… listen to the silence between the hesitation.
Because this is not just training.
This is the final threshold.
Yellow Rock Sanctuary: A Home for Presence and Transformation
Yellow Rock Sanctuary is more than a location, it is a living, breathing space for transformation. A sanctuary in the truest sense, it is a place where people come to pause, to reflect, to heal and to awaken. Here, silence is alive. The land speaks but in words, it teaches through stillness. It holds space for those who seek truth, gently stripping away the distractions of modern life until only what is real remains.
There is a reason why Yellow Rock Sanctuary is the perfect home for this training.
A Space for Letting Go
In a world of noise, distraction and endless striving, this is a place where everything slows down. The sanctuary provides a rare opportunity to step outside the conditioned mind and experience life as it is, free from the illusions of urgency.
Nature as a Guide
Trees do not strive to grow & waters do not struggle to flow. Nature moves with effortless intelligence and in this space you learn to do the same. The sanctuary is surrounded by woodlands, organic gardens and expansive open land, all of which serve as mirrors for the teachings of surrender and presence.
A Space of Deep Healing
Yellow Rock is a refuge for those in search of meaning, healing and personal transformation. Many who step onto this land describe an immediate shift, as if something inside them finally exhales. Here, people have reclaimed their lives, found peace after great suffering and awakened to the truth of who they really are.
Yellow Rock is a refuge for those in search of meaning, healing and personal transformation. Many who step onto this land describe an immediate shift, as if something inside them finally exhales. Here, people have reclaimed their lives, found peace after great suffering and awakened to the truth of who they really are.
A Philosophy That Nourishes Body and Mind
A Philosophy That Nourishes Body and Mind
The sanctuary is home to thriving organic gardens, providing food that is pure, simple and deeply nourishing. Just as this space supports the awakening of the soul, it also feeds the body with life-giving nourishment. Everything at Yellow Rock aligns with the principles of presence, healing and living in harmony with the intelligence of life itself.
A Place Beyond Retreats, A Place of Realization
This is not just another retreat center. It is a crucible for truth. A place where the old self dissolves and something real emerges. Those who come here do not leave with new ideas, they leave with something far greater: an unshakable recognition of what has always been true.
Yellow Rock Sanctuary exists to serve those who are ready to wake up, not someday and not through endless practices and searching, but right now, in this very moment. You don’t just come here to learn, you come here to remember.
Marcus McKeown: A Guide Beyond the Known
Marcus McKeown is not a conventional teacher. He does not hand out methods or formulas, nor does he promise easy solutions. He is not here to fix you, because you were never broken.
Instead, Marcus challenges, disrupts and dissolves illusion. He creates space in such a way that everything false begins to fall away, not through force, but through the sheer power of presence itself.
For decades, Marcus has been at the forefront of personal development, high-performance coaching and deep spiritual work. His experience is as diverse as it is profound:
✔ An Author and Speaker – Marcus has worked extensively in the field of spirituality, self-realization and performance psychology, delivering talks and coaching sessions that have reached individuals across the world.
✔ A Leader in Personal and Professional Development – He has worked at the highest levels of coaching, advising C-suite executives, marketing strategists and HR leaders from some of the most renowned global organizations.
✔ A Scholar and Seeker – His studies in theology, philosophy and psychology have shaped his deep understanding of faith, the human mind and the nature of reality.
✔ A Man Who Has Lived It All – Marcus has built multiple businesses, faced extraordinary challenges and learned from failure as much as from success. He once trained as a commercial pilot, giving him a rare perspective on both control and surrender, two fundamental forces of life.
Marcus is not a guru, not a self-help strategist, not someone who offers comforting words and easy affirmations. He simply holds space in such a way that nothing untrue can survive. If you work with Marcus, expect truth without compromise. Expect to be challenged, to be stripped of illusions, to meet yourself fully, without escape.
This is not a man who teaches spiritual ideas. This is a man who lives in the raw reality of truth itself and invites you to do the same.
If you are ready for that kind of encounter, then step forward.
The doorway has always been open.
Q&A: Understanding the Teacher of Presence
A: No. A Teacher of Presence does not analyze your past, diagnose your struggles or give you strategies for success. Unlike coaching, which focuses on achieving goals, or therapy which explores psychological patterns, a Teacher of Presence does nothing but hold space for you to see the truth that has always been here.
A: Imagine sitting with someone who expects nothing from you. Someone who has no agenda, no opinions about your life, no desire to change you. At first, this might feel uncomfortable because you are used to seeking answers, looking for validation, expecting someone to give you direction. But in the presence of someone who is truly empty of personal agenda, something remarkable happens.
You begin to see yourself clearly, not the self you’ve constructed, not the self you think you should be, but the one that has been here all along.
You may find that questions dissolve on their own. That what once felt urgent no longer carries weight. That peace is not something to work for, it’s something you stop resisting.
A: No. A Teacher of Presence does not point you toward new beliefs, they help you see that you are beyond all belief systems. They do not encourage new spiritual identities, they help you realize that you were never defined by any identity in the first place.
A: This is for those who have come to the end of their seeking. Those who have tried everything, only to realize that the only thing left to do… is stop.
This is for those who are ready to see that nothing was ever missing, that they are already what they have been searching for.
Duration:
12 Months
Format:
One Weekend per Month (In-Person at Yellow Rock Sanctuary) + One Evening per Month (Online)
Location:
Yellow Rock Sanctuary, 6 Tapny Road, Lislea, BT35 9FB
To Reserve Your Place:
Call YRS on +44 7462 250904 or click the button below
Important Note:
Limited spaces available to ensure personalized support. Early booking is recommended.
Duration:
12 Months
Format:
One Weekend per Month (In-Person at Yellow Rock Sanctuary) + One Evening per Month (Online)
Location:
Yellow Rock Sanctuary, 6 Tapny Road, Lislea, BT35 9FB
To Reserve Your Place:
Call YRS on +44 7462 250904 or click the button below
Important Note:
Limited spaces available to ensure personalized support. Early booking is recommended.
