Finding Our Places of Stillness
Our minds are always full. Full of responsibilities, full of work, full of family, friends, and other people.
We struggle to keep up with everything. There is what we need to know, what we want to know, and what we just know. We know words to songs we have not heard for years and names of people we have never met.
There is only so much we can take. We try to put things in their places and keep them there. There is a place for eating and another place for sleeping. We have a place for working and a different place for playing. A place for everything and everything in its place.
Where do we make room for stillness?
We feel surrounded, even bombarded by all the things we need. There is always more, always something new.
It is important for us to continue learning, to continue exploring. We do not want to get lost or stuck somewhere. Where will we put all these new insights and ideas? How will we make room for what is new today, and tomorrow, and the day after?
How do we begin looking for places of stillness?
Some of us need to recognize or designate our own places of stillness. We may resolve to spend five minutes each day in stillness in this chair, or on that bench. Our places of stillness may be actual, physical places. We may need to take a walk or spend time in a library, a park, or another still place.
Five minutes a day may be too much of a commitment at the beginning. We may need to say three times a week. It may be a few minutes sitting our car when we arrive at work.
Where Are Our Places of Stillness?
Most of us will probably need to begin with specific places of stillness. Recognizing the significance of stillness and the value of our place will help us.
Our places of stillness may require us to plan to be still at a particular time. It may be a challenge to find places of stillness when other people might interrupt us.
One key to finding places of stillness is to consider them in advance. When we get to the point where we desperately need stillness is too late to start looking. It helps relieve our stress and resistance when we decide in advance.
Remembering the importance of our stillness will also help us. We know it is important to brush our teeth. Even if we rush through it, we brush our teeth every day. It is a nonnegotiable part of our daily schedule.
We remember how important it is and we include it in our daily schedule.
Many people find places of stillness in unlikely locations. We may be able to spend five minutes being still even when we are surrounded by other people.
It is not necessarily the case we need to head into the forest or to the beach to find stillness.
The fact is our stillness comes from within ourselves. Our places of stillness are inside us. Certain kinds of locations may help us find stillness, at first, but it is within us.
As we practice each day, we begin to find our places of stillness within ourselves. We recognize we carry the potential for stillness around with us.
Each day we remember the value of stillness to us and find its place within us. Even if it is just five minutes a day, we can feel it changing us. Other people will see it, too.
What Do We Do in Places of Stillness?
Stillness may be so unfamiliar to us in our full lives it feels a little uncomfortable as we start.
It may be a challenge for us to spend time in stillness. We may experience being still as a continual stream of distractions and reminders.
Our minds have been conditioned to focus on solving problems. When we spend a brief time being still, setting problems aside, our minds may see that as a problem.
When I am still my mind seems to remind me of everything else I could be doing.
The fact is there are very few rules in places of stillness other than being still. If writing things down helps you remain still, then write them down. My experience is that, when something is truly important, I will remember it later. For me, time spent in stillness helps me remember and accomplish what is important later.
Spending time in places of stillness is like taking a quick nap or a mental deep breath. It helps us remember and pay attention to what we already know.
We spend so much time running from one thing to the next, trying to catch our breath. It can be a challenge for us to pay attention to anything before the next thing happens.
Stillness is an opportunity to restore our connection to ourselves and what is important to us.
We do not need to do anything in places of stillness but allow the stillness to restore us.
Being at Home in Places of Stillness
Spending time in places of stillness does not mean we forget about all that fills our minds. We are able to set aside the concerns and distractions which become the focus of our attention. Stillness helps us find our perspective and remember what we value.
Our concerns and interests do not simply melt away. Stillness helps put the thinking which fills our days, and nights, into context.
Finding our places of stillness allows us to see how the pieces fit together. It may still be a challenge to finish the puzzle, but at least we have the picture on the box.
Making room for stillness in our lives recognizes we are not forcing the pieces together. Stillness is a way for us to see how the pieces put themselves into place.
Where will you find your places of stillness today?
[Image by The Wandering Angel]
Greg Richardson is a spiritual life mentor and leadership coach in Southern California. He is a recovering attorney and university professor, and a lay Oblate with New Camaldoli Hermitage near Big Sur, California. Greg’s website is StrategicMonk.com, and his email address is StrategicMonk@gmail.com.
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