Creating the space in your day to be still is a liberty. In this space, we give ourselves the freedom and permission to find us – who we are apart from our thoughts, feelings, obsessions, and habits. However, you will find that keeping still requires much more energy and effort than getting caught up in the cycle of perpetual motion. In the beginning, you notice that your body fidgets constantly, and your mind wanders repeatedly. We become aware of the sense of discomfort that arises when we try to be still the first time (and many times thereafter!). An undeniable discomfort and irritability rises from within. However, just as we train our bodies physically, it is critical to train our minds as well.
I find that getting my mind and body to be still is not a skill that I can ever truly master. Many days, it is agitating to be still; still other days, I find that being still leads me to be extremely tired and sleepy. I have learned that such results are simply a reflection of what my inner spirit is feeling that day and at that moment. However, there is something that arises from the habitual practice of being still – I find myself allowing self-compassion, patience, and radical acceptance to blossom. During moments of being still, I understand that everything in this world is in its place for a reason, and I not only accept it, but I welcome the world and its possibilities.
Today, more than ever, we need to foster self-compassion, patience, and radical acceptance if we ever want to survive as a species. Additionally, it helps us maintain our humanity. Actively training our minds so that we are in control and not under the control of our thoughts/habits, we can consciously bring into awareness and creation wonderful and beautiful things! How do we practice being still?
- Carve out time in your day to practice being still – whether in the form of mindfulness, guided meditations, or prayer – being able to do so in the morning (or both upon awakening and prior to going to sleep) will reap the most benefits.
- For at least 10 to 15 minutes per day, gift yourself the time to allow sweet peace and quiet to permeate your day and consciousness. This will help ground you.
- At the end of each stillness and time of quiet, practice gratitude. Being able to bring into your awareness things that you are most grateful for will allow much more positive experiences and relationships to enter into your life.
In today’s extremely busy and chaotic world, it may be all too easy to forget the critical importance of being still. Many of the most successful business and political leaders have established the practice of being still into their busy schedules. In our spiritual journey, we must always remind ourselves to recharge not just physically, but spiritually as well.