Stillness is like the moments in between breaths. The retention at the top of an inhale creates space in expansion—when we’re there, we realize that there is nothing there, just space.
It is in these moments that we find ourselves being.
Stillness gives us moments of reprieve, moments of nothing. It gives us the space to hear our heart beats, to calm racing thoughts, and to feel the energy around us.
It’s in your meditative movement or quiet time in the prayer closest where you find the power of stillness.
But if you’re not used to the quiet it brings or the loudness that may seek to fill that space, you may avoid stillness even if it’s the very thing you need.
So how do we ease into stillness?
Just like changing a diet or recovering from addiction, making room, space, and time for stillness can be challenging—even seemingly impossible.
There is always something that needs to be done, or things that need to occupy your body…or so you think.
Without time for nothingness, we find ourselves only living in the constancies of stress.
Soon the body degrades and falls into disease and discomfort. And soon after, you become stressed to be healthy again.
What if, though, the cure to your pain was something as primordial as stillness?
What if the relief you’ve been craving, the inspiration you’ve been seeking, the discipline you feel evades you only but finds you in a practice of stillness?
Here’s one way to start:
Every morning is a new moment to come alive and BE alive. So start with your breath, the most essential part of your human existence.
Even if you can’t see the sun, take in a deep breath imagining the suns rays are filling your body.
Hold the inhale and take a few seconds of stillness and imagine the sunlight filling your entire body.
As you exhale, imagine the sunlight radiating from your pores, giving light and life to the shadowy places in and around your being.
Now you are surrounded in a bubble of light. Let it be this way and fill it more.
This is what we call breathwork, a type of it at least. Do this each day the moment you awaken, and repeat 3 or more times—as many as you feel you need.
When you are done, remain still for a few moments and feel the vibrations of your body.
This vibration is the frequency of life. Embrace it.
Go forward with your day knowing you are shining of light and life.
Stillness throughout the day
Your practice does not have to be rooted in the morning. Find any time during the day to explore just sitting and doing nothing.
As you feel yourself want to move or scream or anything else, accept those feelings as they are but allow yourself to remain still.
Start with just 30 seconds, then 1 minute, then 5 minutes, and so on. See what the silence between sounds or the spaciousness between breaths has to offer you.
Healing? Clarity? Creativity? Connection? Intuition? Wellness?
I’d say all of the above. When you open yourself up to the moment, you allow yourself to practice being still on a daily basis.
Stillness in Nature
Some of the greatest teachers of stillness are trees. So I challenge you, find a tree near you and sit with it.
Watch it, breathe with it, speak with it even. Allow yourself to mimic the stillness of trees as you begin exploring what stillness is.
Write down your findings; you can even send your thoughts and notes to me.
The goal is to create space and time to do nothing but be in your body. To occupy your body fully and completely in the safety of stillness.
It is time to be here, in the body you were blessed with. So commit to practicing stillness with me.
21 days; let’s practice spending time just being.
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EcoWell Co. 