Sowing Seeds of Change

A Review of Presencing: 7 Practices for Transforming Self, Society, and Business (Scharmer & Kaufer, 2025)

Abstract

This review critically examines “Presencing: 7 Practices for Transforming Self, Society, and Business” by Otto Scharmer and Katrin Kaufer, situating the work within the evolving field of awareness-based systems change. The book is presented as both a practical guide and a conceptual advancement, offering seven interdependent practices that operationalise Theory U’s core insights into the invisible dimensions of transformation—attention, intention, and the cultivation of “social soil.” Drawing on metaphors such as “islands of coherence” and the “pando,” the review highlights the book’s emphasis on relational and systemic interconnectedness, as well as its global perspective, including case studies from the Global South. The analysis underscores the book’s relevance for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers engaged in systems change, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), and those seeking to foster regenerative futures. Ultimately, “Presencing” is positioned as a timely and rigorous contribution to the literature, inviting readers to become active participants in the emergence of new social realities through awareness-based practice.