As we find ourselves in a very different world we are coming across stillness and silence. For some this may be a totally new experience as previously it would have been rushing around, noise and non-stop on the go. Maybe the only time to be still was in front of the television and even then perhaps unable to switch off from thoughts whirling in our minds.
Today, in lockdown, there is less noise, fewer cars, fewer aeroplanes, fewer people in the streets or children in the park. So what are we hearing instead? Are we noticing different sounds? Have you heard the dawn chorus or the wind in the trees or the hum of insects? The blackbird in my garden has been singing throughout the day at the top of his voice. Internally are you hearing your own thoughts a lot more but also now having the time to reflect upon them.
Silence and stillness can be uncomfortable, unfamiliar and maybe a bit scary. For some there is a fear that if they stopped for a while unwanted thoughts /feelings would rise to the surface, staying busy is a way to suppress them. Maybe there’s a belief that if you stop and do nothing then you are being lazy. Or perhaps you live in a culture, an environment, that everyone else is always on the go and you get swept up in it in order to fit in. Life has led us from human beings to human doings and maybe we have lost a sense of ourselves.
Silence and stillness can take time and practice; it’s a skill to be learnt. But now more than ever we have that opportunity to find that place within us that is quiet.
Benefits of stillness and silence are:-
- Decrease stress
- Lowering of blood pressure
- Increased creativity
- Promotion of deeper sleep
- Boost to the body’s immune system
Ways to learn the art of stillness can be:-
- Stop, close your eyes and listen to what you can hear both in the foreground and background.
- Turn the television off and read a book or do a jigsaw puzzle
- Before getting up in the morning lie there quietly for 5 – 10 minutes and allow thoughts to wander into your mind but don’t hang onto them
- Take 5 minutes to focus on your breath, notice the rise and fall of your chest and just see if it possible to deepen your breath to your abdomen. Count your breathing.
- Use a mindfulness app
- Walk slowly and pay attention to smaller details rather than the bigger picture
- Receive a distance healing session where you lie down in your own home and receive the healing
You will find your own way of being still and silent, embrace it, and allow it to become a comfortable and healthy part of your life.