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Stillness. Drops of water landing
in a pool.
Awareness is only developed within the stillness that allows us to
hear.
Stillness is delicious, rich, soothing. In stillness, the unessential
drops
away. We can remember who we are - and we are amazingly beautiful.
Stillness is
a way to induce the passive-receptive state necessary for receiving
information
from psi. In Stillness, we find balance, and many health benefits.
Beyond
Mental
Activity
Each of us has a stream of thought running through our minds. The mind
is of
value when it functions in its rightful place. Balancing the mind with
the
heart and intuition, and putting your connected self in the lead, frees
the
soul.
To move your consciousness out of the stream of mental chatter, place
the focus
on one object and hold it there. You might even do this while moving,
as long
as you don't have to concentrate on what you are doing. I tune into
stillness
on my walks, and use the trees as a focus object. Their life force is
so strong
at this time of year, it easily moves me into the present moment. Start
with one
full minute. Here are some examples of focus objects.
- The Breath: Lie or sit comfortably, eyes
closed.
Allow the breath to ebb and flow. Just notice it.
- Second-hand of a clock - this also allows you to track
your
minute.
- Nature object - a tree outside your window, a favorite
houseplant, a fountain, a candle.
- Walk barefoot in the grass, focusing on the
sensation of
the blades of grass on your feet; Walk a labrynth,
if are fortunate to have access to one; Do Yoga Asanas;
Run, Workout, Swim, Ski, Scuba, Snorkel, Bungie
jump - any activity which allows you to focus on one aspect of what you
are
doing.
- Picture yourself next to a still lake, better yet,
sit by
a still lake or brook, and focus on the water - the sight, the sound,
the
bodily sensations of mist.
- Chant or Sing (Krishna
Das has recorded chant for use in
Stillness
Practice).
- Creative Endeavor: Paint, Dance, Sculpt, let it
take you
fully into your creative senses.
- CDs: John Kabat-Zinn and
Kim Eng,
partner to Eckhart Tolle,
have created excellent ones, among others.
If you find yourself getting caught up in mental activity
during your minute
of stillness, have patience with yourself. Simply bring your attention
back to
the chosen object.
You may desire to extend the minute. Do what feels comfortable.
This is
about enjoying a delicious rest. It's not a competition.
More
helpful than doing it longer is to do it daily, even a few times a day.
A
30-second conscious breath can re-set your entire day.
Into The Heart
While the practice of stillness is beneficial in and of itself, it is
also a
means to other states. You leave your focus object behind. For example,
you
might try feeling and knowing your true essence.
While you are focusing on the object of your choice, staying out of the
busy
mental thought stream, ask yourself, "Who is Focusing?" or "Who
is Listening?" Do not try to answer mentally. Instead, reach out to
Feel
or Know. The part of you that is formless may slowly emerge within your
consciousness.
The non-material part of you is more accessible than it may seem. This
is a
beautiful meditation which can bring you into alignment with your true
essence.
Another
Level Still
Regular practitioners of stillness often tend to experience what can
only be
described as Bliss, a feeling of Oneness with All That Is. Even those
who
practice for minutes a day can achieve a highly elevated state. It is
variously
described as Nirvana, Moksha, Seeing
God, Touching
Eternity, Opening to Source.
Hallmarks of this phase are:
~ Feeling unconditional love,
~ Experiencing deep peace,
~ Love for all of life, sometimes seemingly irrationally
so,
~ Awe,
~ Astral Travel,
~ Sensing other dimensions/beings.
Whole religions have been founded upon one individual's
experience at this phase. The experiences are as varied as people so
just enjoy
what comes up for you.
Results
& Benefits of Stillness
Practice
As your growing awareness opens like windows letting in the light, new
aspects
of you will shine through into your daily living. Your mind,
emotions,
conditioned responses, physical impulses, and day to day activities
will
express the True You more and more. You let go of the illusions about
yourself
that you were programmed with from childhood, the ones that taught you
you were
anything less than beautiful.
John Lennon comes to mind as someone the world witnessed before and
during this
awakening phase. The song "Imagine" represents this awakening and
contrasts greatly with his early work. He and others show us that
anyone can
achieve transformation with some effort. Fortunately, we no longer need
to go
to India
for information and support (unless we want to) - high level help with
developing a stillness practice is as close as your computer, your
library,
yoga studio, or a New Age bookstore.
Stillness Practice shifts us away
from from living
life as a "human doing" and toward living as a Human Being. Grounded
outside
of time, you learn how to simply Be. You are no longer on automatic
pilot, you
stop reaching for some future goal. You are in the moment, experiencing
each situation afresh.
The practice of moving beyond the mind for a short period on a
regular basis
has been studied a lot. Substantial statistical data shows that it
enables
people to develop clarity, better relationships, empowerment and peace.
Prisoners who practice stillness have a recidivism rate of about 3%
(reversed
from the norm of over 50%). Studies prove it significantly lowers
blood
pressure and even blood sugar. Advanced practitioners report tremendous
joy and increased
incidences of synchronicity, premonitions, deja vu, and other aspects
of psi. It is speculated that this is because of the resulting
vibratory alignment between the heart, brain and other body organs.
There is no one quite like you. You are needed, with all of
your
talents,
skills, and unique style. Your being balanced allows others to
enjoy
you
and appreciate you. The world
needs as many authentically motivated and aligned people as possible.
As Eckhart Tolle would say, by aligning with your true self, you are
helping to create the New Earth. It really is that helpful for you to
be you.
How
Do Visualization
and Affirmation Fit In?
Visualization as a method for achieving goals and dreams is
often called
manifesting. Stillness meditation helps with this in several ways and
is great when practiced in combination with your affirmations.
First, by clearing out
false impressions of self, we align with our truth, so we choose better
goals.
Those who use affirmations can tell you that it's possible to attain
many
things, and then find they are not what we want after all. This is a
normal
part of the process of living! And yet, by developing the habit of
stillness,
we will choose more aligned desires, saving a lot of time.
Stillness practice is a wormhole to the Now. Effective visualization
requires a
delicate balance between acceptance of what is and holding the
intention for
something better as if it were happening in the Now. Stillness
lets us
touch base with Now, and bring our intentions there.
The emotions of contentment, peace, happiness, laughter and joy that a
Stillness Practice brings are the perfect enhancement to facilitate the
blossoming of intention. I once had something manifest for me
that I had
held in my vibrational aura for 20 years! It came when I experienced
completion
of a huge project, resulting in great success, exhilaration and joy.
Stillness
practice empowers us to play, and this helps deliver your desired
results. Nothing breeds success like success!
Another way that Stillness Practice enhances your visualization routine
is the
way it promotes letting go of the outcome. Sound paradoxical? Not
really, and
those who have taken my seminars know, we hold the intention, but we
release
the how, the when, and all the details of its fruition to God (you may
use a
different word), allowing for this or something better.
Practicing stillness often increases synchronicity. You may feel an
increased
sensation of being "in the flow".
A quick word about manifestation here. As you hold the intention of
what you
want for you life, a partial fulfillment of your desires may occur.
This is a
great sign that that you are getting closer to attracting the full
scenario.
There is no need to take everything that comes your way, even if you
know you
have manifested it, even if it has some of the right ingredients. Bliss
is your
birthright. It is important and completely possible to remain sensitive
to the
needs of others, while being firm about what you want. Stillness
can help
you accept the waiting.
Touch base with eternity and learn to be still for just a few moments a
day for
the full expression and expansion of your precious life.
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