Stillness seems to be one of the most challenging, and one of the last, things we want to practice. We hear people say, “We can rest when we are dead.” We have created a society which values action, demands results, thrives on people who make noise. We celebrate people who are adept at drawing attention to themselves, not at stillness. We resist standing still, sitting still, being still.
For many people, stillness feels like giving up. They have a right to be heard. Their lives are filled with talking, connecting, making sure everyone else knows what they have to say. They are reassured they are alive because they just posted about it.
Stillness is not something we tend to practice very much. Some people cannot remember ever having been still for even a moment. We have not developed the skills we need to be still.
It seems it should be easy to practice stillness, but it is not. Even when we recognize we need to rest, calm down, be still, something in us pushes us not to stop. We may be rebelling against all the times anyone ever told us to “Be Quiet!” We may be struggling because so few people seem to be able to listen to us very well.
The first step in practicing stillness is admitting we need to be still and we do not know how to do it. Spiritual life is fed in our stillness. How do we find the stillness we need?
It may be helpful for us to detach ourselves from the lack of stillness around us. The stillness we need to practice is within us.
We begin by sitting and listening to our own breathing.
How will you practice stillness this week?
Who helps you find the stillness you need?
[Image by ™ Pacheco]
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