Republished with permission from the “Leader” Newspaper in Anaconda, Montana. Originally published May 7, 2021
In this busy, chaotic world, we need to take time to simply be still within ourselves.
We hear so much today about mindfulness, but what will help us to get into a state where we can be mindful? We need to first learn to be still. The two are closely connected. Mindfulness is being in the moment and being aware of what is going on around you, both within your thoughts and the world outside. Stillness is quieting the mind and body by stopping all movement within the body and slowing the mind down. Once your mind and body are still, you can then become mindful. Once you’re mindful, you can affirm good things into your life. These three are the key components to a larger meditation practice.
WHAT CAN STILLNESS DO FOR ME?
Stillness can aid you to improve your focus and concentration, which is important in all areas of life, including learning and working. Becoming still can greatly help to reduce stress and tension within your mind and body. Learning to first be still can prepare you for meditation and can help you be more meditative in your life. You can start with simple stillness exercises right now and practice “mini-meditations” throughout the day or anytime you need to become calmer. These sessions could be anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes.
WHAT ARE SOME ILLUSTRATIONS OF STILLNESS?
Remember when you were a kid playing hide and go seek? You would hide in the closet trying to be as still and quiet as you could be? You didn’t move a muscle. This starts to capture stillness, but not completely because you were probably tense and your heart was racing.
Another picture that might help is to imagine yourself as a caveman frozen in an enormous block of ice. You’ve been there for thousands of years. Time just passes you by and you remain completely still in that ice, not a cell on your body has moved. Close your eyes and take 30 seconds to visualize yourself as that caveman right now! What do you notice? What do you feel?
A third picture I love is to see myself in a still lake just floating in the water. Try to see yourself becoming one with the lake. Where the lake ends and you begin is unclear at this point, you have completely merged. You feel the coolness of the water and slight motion within the lake. You feel the peace and serenity of the water, which is now a part of you.
WHAT ARE A FEW TECHNIQUES TO BECOME MORE STILL?
One easy and powerful technique is to take 5 deep breaths through the nose. You hold each breath for approximately 8 seconds, then release it through your mouth. Try doing this while sitting still and closing your eyes.
Finding a special location to go to such as a park or in your easy chair and sit still. This is a good way to become still. Is there a special place you find especially relaxing? Go to that place when you get a chance. The third technique is sound and music. You can listen to environmental sounds such as birds outside. You may also find recorded environmental sounds online. You might find a recording of the ocean or a stream. You could visualize yourself on the ocean or floating in the stream. Music that can help to still you can include meditation music, instrumental easy listening, and classical music.
START TO APPLY STILLNESS NOW!
I would recommend trying all the techniques above, you can do them separately or combine them. Set aside a few minutes to take time while sitting completely still with your eyes closed. Make sure that you are comfortably seated. For the next few days, take time to do a mini-meditation with stillness each day. You can do more than one session in a day! Write what you experience. What was it like being still and reflect on it? What would make you feel even more still next time? Trying doing that the next time you practice stillness.
AUTHOR
You may purchase my new book “Meditation for Everyone: How to quickly have a more Peaceful, Mindful, and Fulfilled life” from Amazon.com. You may also find a brief video on stillness on YouTube that I created at https://youtu.be/8ILA-RWDGPY .
