Lately I have been craving stillness, quiet, and solitude. I’ve been feeling scattered and fragmented. Life has been moving too fast and the details of everything that needs my attention have been stacking up. I realized that I haven’t been giving myself the peaceful, contemplative solitude that I need… just to think my thoughts and feel my feelings… to really tune into myself in a deep way… to calm down and center myself.
We live in an era of constant noise and stimuli… information coming at us in many ways… all day, every day. We try to cram too much doing into our days. Really, it is within our power to change this. We are the only ones who can arrange our lives to give ourselves the quiet, relaxation, and solitude daily that is necessary to renew our bodies and spirits.
Being… not doing. In the stillness and quiet… the connection to your Inner Being… that is where the joy, creativity, guidance, intuition, and love is. That is where you will feel well-being. Be still. When you’re in touch with your soul is when the joy floods in.
A woman I know recently had houseguests for an extended stay. She had no alone time at all for several weeks. After they left she was relishing her solitude while quietly putting her house in order… and as she was putting the laundry away, she glanced out the window and was struck by the beauty of the sunlight sparkling in the trees. She stopped to savor the moment and thought: ”In stillness my soul breathes.” She was in awe that she could feel such joy and connection in a quiet moment and vowed to give herself the gift of quiet alone time.
Moments. Stillness. Appreciation… for beauty… for sensation… for being alive… for love. Moments of stillness everyday! Being present and aware to savor our experience… right here, right now… in touch with our inner world, as well as that which is all around us. That is really living… not rushing through life… but truly enjoying life. Give yourself the gift of quiet moments of stillness in your life everyday!
“Within you is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat anytime”
Herman Hess