Preparing for creative practice and the idea of 'presence'

A vibrant young artist has lent me Anna Deavere Smith's letters to a young artist. She writes on presence, and what that is...something that everyone wants...and she quotes Joseph Chaikin who was involved in the experimental theatre scene in NYC when I lived there...he defines presence as "a kind of deep libidinal surrender which the performer reserves for his anonymous audience"...and i think about that and wonder how an artist can actually use that definition practically and then  i think of my own training and the 'lessons' i have learned about presence and how one teacher talked about presence as 'the sun' that shines from the solar plexis.  If we see it as an active sun, perhaps we can grow its warmth, its affect.Anna Deavere Smith talks about presence as "that feeling that the person on stage or in a film is standing right next to you". Again a definition that is a difficult one to 'action'.I am fond of the sun idea, of the warmth radiating from the actor, the awareness that sits within every cell. Deborah Hay has 'presence' while every cell in her body vibrates and communicates with every cell in the audiences.  Practice it, and see what happens: "what if every cell in my body connects to every cell in everyone's?".Another young artist talked to me about how they open their heart when they are performing on stage, creating a flow of energy between them and their audience.  I have tried this, and it is a wonderfully liberating act, helping the performer enter 'the flow'.  Try it next rehearsal and see what happens.