A Practice of Stillness
We begin by finding a quiet place in our home or in nature to sit in stillness. Sitting comfortably, we take two to three deep breaths to guide our body into a deeper state of relaxation.
We practice non-movement. We close our eyes, relax into our self, and breathe naturally. We don’t attempt to change anything. We notice our self, hearing, feeling and sensing.
We are not meditating, using techniques to quiet our mind, writing down our thoughts, or practicing deep breathing. We are just simply being.
Our practice of stillness is an intentional pause. We become quiet. Our attention goes inward. We hear the sounds of our breathing, and the sounds in our environment. We listen.
We notice how we might be somewhere else in our mind instead of being present with our body in the moment. We notice how we feel, yet we let go of the need to change what we are thinking or how we are feeling. We practice acceptance of exactly where we are.
We are fully present, listening, acknowledging and feeling the sensations in our body. Everything is happening perfectly.
Eventually, a daily practice of stillness will naturally move us beyond our active and conditioned mind into a deeper state of relaxation, into a more conscious experience of who we truly are, and into the deep well of inner stillness that is the essence of our being.
Practice Two – Connecting
Overtime, as we become more comfortable sitting in stillness, we can begin to immerse our self into the practice of connecting. This is a deep process of self-engagement and self-discovery.
Through a practice of connecting, we move beyond our intention to relax our body, to pause, and to simply be present. We begin to engage with the consciousness that resides within us. This is the wisdom that is beyond our intellect and what our mind experiences or believes to be true. As we stay present to the information that surfaces, to our emotional expression, and to the physical sensations in our body, we experience a deeper connection to our self.
Sitting in stillness allows us to be present, and to listen to consciousness.
Connecting more deeply with ourselves, we expand our awareness and our capacity to feel. Our attention becomes more continuous. We become aware of the moment we are presently in. We become aware of our awareness.
In the depths of this stillness is where our consciousness resides. This is the experience of the truest form of who we are.
Pure silence and peace is present here.
Practice Three – Embodiment
Once we are able to consistently sustain our awareness through a practice of stillness and connection – we become the embodiment of stillness as we engage in the world.
From the deep well of inner stillness that is the essence of our being, we engage in the world with expanded awareness.
Our inner stillness keeps us centered and grounded while in action. We interact in our daily life with less noise and distraction. We bring the essence of stillness into our work, our relationships, and our everyday life.
Our movement in life is a continual process of self-engagement and self-discovery. We continually move out of our old conditioning, into new consciousness.
Inner resistance fades away, inner peace becomes expanded.
Through the ongoing practice of stillness, we understand, integrate and deepen our life experiences. With a deep knowing of who we are, stillness becomes our way of being. Stillness directs our movement in the world.
Embodying stillness, we become peace.
Photograph by Vitalis Hirschmann