Being Still

How long has it been since you were completely still?

Especially in this modern day we are in a constant state of go-go-go… even when we are “resting”, we are scrolling social media, browsing the internet, watching TV, and more.

We rarely take a moment to be still and do nothing.

We are conditioned to believe that we always have to do something or else we won’t live up to the expectations of the world. However, this constant state of doing leaves us burnt out, agitated, and scattered. We then we can’t meet the demands of life. This is why practicing stillness is so crucial. In stillness, we can calm down, clear out, and recharge so that we can handle whatever life throws our way.

It is not laziness to take a few moments to be still and do nothing. It will make you sharper and more productive because you’ll be clear, relaxed, and have more energy. Say you have a huge meeting at work that you already prepared for, but you’re stressed out about it. The common thing to do is to stress out and imagine how the meeting will go, or to distract yourself with news or social media until the time of the meeting.

If you go this route, option A, by the time of the meeting you’ll be tense and restless, and you’ll bring that in with you. But what if 5-10 mins before the meeting, you just sat completely still instead? If you took this route, option B, you would bring into the meeting a clear mind, calm nerves, and a relaxed body.

What do you think - would the meeting go better taking option A or option B?

This applies to every aspect of life. If we take the time to be perfectly still, then the agitation will be burned out of our mind and body, and we will bring peace into everything we do.

Try sitting still for a few moments every day and watch every part of your life transform.

How to practice:

1.     Sit or lay down in a comfortable position

2.     Start by taking a deep breath in through the nose and a long sigh out through the mouth to calm down

3.     Then breath slowly and rhythmically through the nose. Let go of your attachment to the passing thoughts and mental activity.

4.     Become conscious of the body, and all the sensations within it

5.     Keep the body completely still. The body will want to fidget, scratch, and move, but resist these urges. Allow all sensations to be felt and released. Eventually the body stops fighting and relaxes into the posture.

6.     Remain in complete stillness for as long as possible. At first this will be extremely difficult because the nervous system is agitated, but each time it become easier and easier. Aim for 5 minutes of stillness at first and gradually work up to longer periods.

Practice, and then let us know how it goes for you!