I use the term "stillness" a lot in my classes.
Right from the onset of a class, I'm encouraging you to settle in to stillness. And then I encourage you to breathe deeply feeling your breath as you settle into the stillness.
What I hope happens is that you discover you can create movement in your body through the breath while at the same time being still. And this is because stillness, in this sense, is within. It's not about being motionless.
It's about feeling the sense of stillness that's at the center of your being even with the breath flowing in and out.
Now, have you ever tried to experience stillness while moving when you're NOT on your mat?
We're in the midst of the holiday season and usually along with the joy and the cheer there's a bit of stress and anxiety sprinkled in. There's a lot to do, a lot of events and celebrations, there's just a lot of everything compared to other times of the year. Let's just say there's a lot of movement.
Connecting to that stillness within can help you cope with the stress and anxiety of this time of year.
You might be still wondering, "What the heck do you mean by stillness if you don't mean 'stillness'?
When you get quiet and go within you can access a place of truth, of knowing, of oneness. It's a place where everything just IS. It's a feeling at the center of your being where everything is good and right.
You don't necessarily find this place automatically. The longer it's been, the more disconnected you can be. To be in stillness doesn't mean there aren't thoughts or distractions or even discomfort. But it does me there's a sort of contentment with all that resides there. It takes consistent practice. And patience.
The more you can spend time in the quiet, the more familiar this stillness becomes. The more it becomes like a dear friend. Eventually, it can feel like coming home.
If you want to practice being still, join me in January 2024 for a mini-retreat “Meditate and Manifest Your New Year.”