Stillness is Key

Developing stillness, often associated with practices like mindfulness and meditation, involves cultivating a sense of inner calm, focus, and tranquillity. Here are some keys to help you develop stillness in your life:

Mindfulness Meditation:

Engage in mindfulness meditation, which involves focusing your attention on the present moment without judgment. Regular practice can lead to increased stillness and a greater awareness of your thoughts and emotions.

Breathing Exercises:

Practice deep and mindful breathing exercises to calm your nervous system and center your focus. Techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing or box breathing can be effective.

Create a Quiet Space:

Designate a quiet and comfortable space where you can practice stillness without distractions. This could be a corner of a room or a specific chair.

Set Aside Time for Stillness:

Schedule dedicated time for stillness in your daily routine. This could be as short as a few minutes or longer, depending on your preferences and schedule.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation:

Engage in progressive muscle relaxation exercises to release physical tension and promote a sense of calmness throughout your body.

Body Scan Meditation:

Practice body scan meditation, where you systematically focus on different parts of your body, bringing awareness to any tension and allowing it to release.

Walking Meditation:

Incorporate walking meditation into your routine. Focus on each step, your breath, and the sensations in your body as you move, promoting a sense of presence and stillness.

Reduce External Stimuli:

Limit exposure to external stimuli, such as electronic devices, noise, or excessive visual stimulation, to create an environment conducive to stillness.

Gratitude and Reflection:

Cultivate stillness through practices like gratitude journaling or reflective meditation, where you contemplate positive aspects of your life.

Consistent Practice:

Developing stillness is a skill that improves with consistent practice. Set realistic goals and gradually increase the duration of your sessions as you become more comfortable.

Acceptance and Non-Judgment:

Approach stillness with an attitude of acceptance and non-judgment. Allow thoughts and feelings to come and go without attaching labels or getting caught up in them.

Mindful Listening:

Practice mindful listening by fully focusing on the sounds around you without judgment. This can enhance your ability to be present and cultivate stillness.

Guided Meditations:

Use guided meditations or mindfulness apps that offer audio instructions to help you stay focused during your practice.

Breathing:

Explore practices like yoga or tai chi, which combine movement and breath to promote a sense of stillness and balance.

Patience and Persistence:

Developing stillness is a gradual process. Be patient with yourself and stay persistent in your practice, even if you encounter challenges along the way.

Remember that stillness is a personal journey, and what works for one person may not work for another. Experiment with different techniques and approaches to find what resonates best with you. Consistency and an open-minded attitude are key to developing a sense of stillness in your life.

WHAT IS STILLNESS?

Beck’s premise is that “doing nothing is the most productive activity you will ever undertake.” By doing nothing, she means literally doing nothing.

• This is not prayer (at least not in the sense of talking to God).

• It is not problem solving.

• It is not planning.

Doing nothing is being still, quieting your mind (and the cacophony of voices), and simply being.

All the ancient wisdom literature points to the importance of this practice. Psalm 46:10 is representative: “Be still and know that I am God.”

This is tremendously difficult in our media rich, always-on, over-communicated society. Noise crowds into every empty space, leaving us spiritually, mentally, and emotionally exhausted.

WHY YOU NEED STILLNESS

I doubt you need convincing that you need some measure of what I am describing here. As I have shared about this topic with others, they inevitably say, “Oh, I so need that in my life! How do I start?”

Nevertheless, here are three of my own reasons for practicing the discipline of stillness:

1. I want to maintain perspective. If I don’t make time to be still, then I find myself in reactive mode—influenced by hundreds of little voices with big demands.

2. I want to stay connected to my true self. I don’t want to get confused, thinking that I am the image I present to the world. They are related, of course, but I want to live from the inside out.

3. I want more internal margin in my life. While I have been pursing external margin in my calendar and finances, I also want internal margin—more room to notice what really matters and be thankful for it.