Stillness is a pathless path
One day I started walking and then the next day I walked again and then the next day I walked again, and the next, and the next... This was years ago.
And then, I realized I had developed a walking practice. This practice is not black-and-white.
I had someone post a question; Do you find your walk a meditative time?
This is why I love questions!! Often they do not need to be answered. A question can merely be an ignition to something you don’t know is there, and you need. A question can bring movement. And at times comes with great surprise.
So this particular morning, in a small moment, this question made me realize that, at times, I actually need to sit still and meditate.
I go really deep when I walk; there is not only movement in my feet, but my soul is also often moving.
In this little moment, I realized I needed to sit still again. And I returned to my 'sitting in silence' practice. This is where I meet the inner parts of myself, in a different way..
I need to sit still in a little room where beautiful nature, colors, leaves, birds, water, amazing skies, a moon, a rising sun, etc., do not feed me. Sitting still in silence takes me to a deep place where the outside world does not take me.
There is something very transformative about sitting still, not moving, breathing, and quieting the mind. Spirit always moves to take me where I need to go. Something has been shifting in me since I started to sit still again. So now I walk, then I go to my office and set my clock for 20 minutes to sit still.
The Steps:
Sitting in silence can be very challenging. I can promise you this: You will get distracted. And there is nothing wrong with this.
The practice of silence starts with showing up and being without judgment about how well (or not) you are doing with being still.
Silence is not just the absence of talking; silence is the act of actively listening to your soul, to God, or passively sitting in God’s presence.
I’d say sitting in silence can be a daily ‘tune-up.’
Silence needs a combination of practice and discipline, especially at first, until desire grows, and it might just become a need and deep longing from within. Start with 5 minutes a day; over time, you can increase the duration of your silence. I promise you will want to!
Get comfortable in your space. Returning to the same space every day is important. How can you create a sacred space in your home?
Turn off your phone and set a timer for 5 minutes (perhaps you need to start with 2 minutes?)
Quiet yourself. Take three deep and slow breaths. Take 3 seconds to breath in, take 6 seconds to breath out.
Now, simply sit. Decide that you will not move your body during this time.
When distractions come acknowledge them and gently lett hem go. Catch yourself when your mind gets busy. When acknowledged, meet your distractions without judgment. Another promise: distractions will decrease over time.
You can always focus on your slow and deep breathing and counting the seconds..
In this time of silence ,your only purpose is to spend time with God and being tune with yourself. It is a beautiful time to notice God’s Presence.
It will be helpful to keep focusing on your breathing. Perhaps you pay attention to the sounds around you. Maybe the ticking of a clock is soothing and keeps you centered, the sound of birds, a diffuser, or the water in your heating pipes. You will see over time, you might not need these ‘tools’ and silence becomes more easily accessible.
When your timer goes off, thank God for this time, even if you felt very busy in your mind or body. Say a prayer of trust, f.i.: “God, I trust this time was good for me.” Do not forget to praise yourself for showing up.
Take some time to ponder what this time was like for you. It might be good to write a few sentences in a journal. I encourage you to trust something happened, whether you felt it or not.