Big Brother Blog: Connecting with Stillness

Monday, May 31, 2010

Connecting with Stillness | The BridgeMaker

Posted: 31 May 2010 03:08 AM PDT

Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen – that stillness becomes a radiance. – Morgan Freeman

Article written by BridgeMaker guest contributor Axel Gjertsen. Please visit him at axel g.

Imagine it’s a summer morning and you’re walking barefoot in the green grass. You’ve come to search for Stillness.

You have brought a small pillow. So, you lie down on your back in the cool grass. The moment you close your eyes, you become increasingly aware of the sounds around you. The chirping birds make you smile.

After about 15 minutes your breathing has slowed down and you start to feel really peaceful. By now, you have become aware of a gentle breeze and the scent of jasmine. It feels like you’re one with nature…

We all have our own ideas about stillness. What it is, how it affects us and where to look for it. In this post I’ll share my experiences and perceptions of stillness with you.

Stillness takes on a whole new meaning, once you have touched upon it. Its peace and beauty are way beyond what any word or concept could ever define.

Stillness is life itself, the pulse of the universe. When sweet warmth stirs your being, then you know. Stillness is that. Stillness is divine.

Stillness or inner peace?

It’s natural to find inner peace when in nature. The sounds of birds, insects and water – even the wind, have a profound effect on our mental states.

It’s easy to relax when lying down with the eyes closed. Make sure the body is really comfortable.

While lying there in the grass, you can listen to the bird song or enjoy the scent of the flowers and herbs, which is relaxing in itself.

You can also pay attention to the sensations of the cool grass against your skin or the rising and falling of the chest, as you breathe.

Can you think of anything more peaceful than the sound of pouring rain?

To me, inner peace is a state of mental and physical calm, nothing more.

Now, picture someone who has an old cassette player. She brings it to the kitchen and puts the player and power cable on the table.

Note that the plug isn’t connected to the mains power supply. That’s how I view inner peace, a state of non-connectedness.

In order to connect with stillness you have to plug in the power cable, plugging in the cassette player is like connecting with the divine.

A trained mind can easily pierce through the dense layers of mental noise (feelings and thoughts) and connect with the realm of stillness.

Like a plane that takes off on a murky day, breaks through the clouds and is engulfed in bright sunlight.

We carry the divine within us.

Look inside…

Feel free to share your personal reflections and ideas about stillness in Comments below.

Axel Gjertsen lives in Thailand and is a former Buddhist monk. He runs axel g which is a personal development site with a focus on meditation. Axel g – personal development that works!

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