Sit Still Much?

Have you ever sat still by yourself and done nothing?  I mean nothing.  No TV, no reading, no talking, no sleeping, no crossword puzzles, really, nothing?

 

If you have, then you know that place where time is irrelevant.  Maybe you have heard a quiet voice whisper to you in that place.  Is it God?  Is it your inner Spirit?  What is that?

 

Most of the time, when I ask that question, I get a response like, “Say what?”  It seems that in our fast-paced world, we have forgotten how to be still.  In fact, people tend to regard stillness as lethargy.  That is NOT what I am talking about.  In fact, taking time each day for “quiet time” is one of the most productive things we can do for ourselves.

 

Another thing I notice is a fear reaction.  It can be a frightening proposition to be still with oneself with no distraction.  “No way!  I can’t do that!”  “Scary.”  Why???

 

Well, the truth is that we are masters of self-distraction and self-denial.  Some of us don’t even know who we are or what we like, or what we want from our lives.  We RUN all the time, full throttle, until we create disease in our bodies or die.  Sometimes, circumstances come along that FORCE us to slow down and be still with ourselves.

 

However it happens, when you do finally give the gift of stillness to yourself, here are some things that you may experience:

 

It is common at first for all sorts of thoughts to come bursting forth, flooding your awareness.  Some of these are your laundry lists of to-do’s for the day, yet others come from a deeper place.  Things will come up for you that you don’t like to think about.  Maybe you have relationship problems that you aren’t wanting to face.  You might notice that tenderness in your lower abdomen that you have been ignoring for so long.  Whatever you have been avoiding in your life, IT WILL COME UP!  (I think this is the scary part.)

 

If you are so brave as to attempt this on your own, I want to encourage you to just BE with those thoughts as they come up.  There is nothing that you need to DO with them in the moment.  Just notice them.  Being still with yourself is about creating awareness and reconnecting with yourself.  It is not about judgment and self-criticism.

 

Once you are feeling more comfortable just sitting with whatever shows up in your stillness, you will be able to enjoy the nurturing quality it brings.  With some relaxed breathing, creating this experience for yourself can slow down all of the functions of the body, release muscle tension and provide an overall sense of well-being.

 

When I make time during my day to be still, I find that every other part of the day tends to run smoother.  I don’t fall into the “rat race” mindset, feeling as though I am losing.  I am more patient with my children.  I appreciate (and notice) the little things more.  And the best part is that my head seems more clear.  I don’t feel “foggy” headed.

So, ready to try it?  Find a place where you can comfortably sit for up to 30 minutes.  If you need a blanket for your toes, get it before you start.  Get cozy, and then, simply BE.  Be with yourself.  Quietly.  Still.  And breathe.  That is all you need to do.

 

For the faint of heart, I recommend challenging yourself to 5 minutes at first.  This is not a practice that should feel like a chore.  On the contrary, my suspicion is that you will begin to crave it!  If 5 minutes seems like a piece of cake, go for longer, up to 30 minutes a day.  The amount of time is really not the most important part.  What matters is that you make the time to connect with your inner stillness.  You know it is there, just waiting for you to show up.

 

Enjoy getting to know yourself again.  Say hello for me.