We sit, stand, lie and stay still. We close our eyes, relax our face and breathe in deeply to the slow count of three. Hold it and notice how everything stopped, if only for this moment, for you to focus on this one breath.
Now the time to breathe out begins. Again to the count of three.
We notice how the calm air feels on our upper lip or how our chest falls as our lungs slowly empty.
The world has slowed to the beat of One. Two. Three. One. Two. Three.
That’s what it means to simply be.
Taking the time to find pockets of stillness in your day is important for it is one of the few times where we cannot be consumed by the anxiety of the future or beaten up by regrets of the past. No longer living at the pace of other people’s agendas or taking the frequent journey into our negative thoughts.
The thoughts that bombard us and attempt to dictate how we feel are allowed to pass for what they are. Unimportant.
As with many people, I’ve had multiple moments when I begin to worry nearly endlessly about what the future holds and my inability to control what’s ahead of me. It drags me away from the good things that I’m probably experiencing right now, no matter how small. But sitting down to meditate reminds me to notice the present. To enjoy it for what it is.
It does not force calmness onto any person but it begins to cultivate a habit of staying calm in the face of stressful moments. The act of remembering to appreciate the present instead of getting lost in the future. Taking time to be instead of imagining the worst.
The worrying slows because we don’t attach judgements to the thoughts that fly through our heads, nor do we linger and follow them. When we are still, the thoughts leave our minds with the same speed they joined us with.
Observing this is remarkable. It separates us from the thoughts we have about ourselves and the other things out there in the world. Ever so slowly I begin to understand why there’s so much joy in being as still as possible. There are many really convincing thoughts that fly through our heads – usually about how bad we are at something or a flaw that’s “obviously” irreparable. Spending more time building pockets of stillness into our day forces us to slow down. And more importantly, it doesn’t mean that we analyse the thought in order to determine whether the thought it true for that is a battle easily lost.
We can let it pass. Attach nothing to it. No judgement, no reaction just acknowledgement.
By doing this, we come to better understand that so many of the thoughts which plague us leave our heads then join us again. Then leave again. They aren’t stitched into the fabric of our minds.
This isn’t easy. Stillness doesn’t cure depression or anxiety. It builds appreciation of slowing down and experiencing the day more on our own terms.
We Simply Be. We do not live for the future nor dwell in the past. We experience how we are at the present moment.
Pockets of stillness can be difficult to make and difficult to sustain. Especially if you can’t find an immediate reward to the practice. To that I say, simply keep trying – it’s worthwhile.
Meditation is a practice not a solution. It’s something you do and keep doing. In the process, you appreciate its rewards. The journey doesn’t end when you’ve reached your first “moment of stillness” – these pass too. With stillness, you won’t find perfection every day. What you can find is a separation from hectic thoughts and negative judgements. For all you do is be.
How can you build more pockets of stillness in your day?
- Meditate for 2 minutes in the morning.
- Slow down when you eat, appreciate the flavours and smells of your food.
- Take 15 minutes of your morning and make it yours. No time for emails, messages, or mindless web browsing.
And so on.
Remember, to simply be, we…
…sit, stand, lie and stay still. We close our eyes, relax our face and breathe in deeply to the slow count of three. Hold it and notice how everything stops, if only for this moment, for you to focus on this one breath.
Now we breathe out. Again to the count of three.
We notice how the calm air feels on our upper lip or how our chest falls as our lungs slowly empty.
The world slows to the beat of One. Two. Three. One. Two. Three.
As always, thanks for reading :)
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Improving Slowly 
Great post buddy! Really positive message right there and i like the cyclical effect. Clever!
Thank you! I think it’s a helpful reminder for me and many others.