Time to Stop

In the introduction to Eckart Tolle’s book, “Stillness,” he writes that true spiritual teachers help us to “remember” what we already know.

Having said that, I’m not telling you anything today that you (or I) don’t already know. We know we need to stop and be still sometimes. We know we need the rest and chance to rejuvenate. We know that stopping can bring us perspective and a chance to reflect. We know that being still helps us listen to our deeper Self, our intuition, God/dess (whatever name you'd like to use for the wisdom that flows through the universe).  

So, if we know all this, why don't we do it very much? Certainly we are enculturated to believe that stopping is bad, that we will be thought of as unproductive, lazy and worthless. We also have things to do! There is no time to stop! I think stopping may also be uncomfortable. Maybe we don't want time to think too much. Or, maybe we just don't know how to stop and be still.

Let me share a story with you that I've seen in numerous places and don't know who to ascribe credit to, but I like the story. It goes like this: European missionaries serving in Africa a century ago hired local villagers as porters to help carry supplies to a distant station. The porters went at a slower pace than the missionaries desired, so after the first two days, they pushed them to go faster. On day three of the trek, the group went twice as far as day two. Around the campfire that evening, the missionaries congratulated themselves for their leadership abilities. But on day four, the workers would not budge.

“What’s wrong?” asked the missionary.

“We cannot go any further today,” replied the villagers’ spokesman.

“Why not?  Everyone appears well.”

“Yes,” said the African, “but we went so quickly yesterday that we must wait here for our souls to catch up with us.”

Have you ever felt like this? Like you needed your soul to catch up? For me I know this is true when I feel burnt out and like I've lost heart for the things I usually enjoy or have energy for. Other signs that our souls need to catch up include: grumpiness, anxiety, irritability, brain fog, confusion and a feeling of emptiness.

We know when our souls have caught up when we feel balanced, centered, grounded, whole, refreshed, and connected to our authentic Self and to God.

Psalm 46:10a says, "Be still and know that I am God."

What if we heard this as a voice within ourselves whispering: Be still and know that I am God? Perhaps this is a gentle reminder to slow down and know that we are infinitely connected to the sacred presence that permeates the universe. Perhaps it is that still small voice reminding us to let our soul catching up.

So, how do we let our souls catch up? How do we stop and be still? I think it is easier to accomplish this if we physically stop and quiet ourselves for a time. The holidays are usually a crazy time for all of us. Over New Years weekend my partner and I basically did nothing. It was hard! But when I found myself thinking about work, or things I “should” be doing, I forced myself to let it go knowing that it would be waiting for me in a few days. I knew to move into the new year well, with energy and creativity, I needed my soul to catch up.

Most of us rarely get that much time to stop.  But, most folks have cup of coffee or tea or something in the morning. What do you do while you drink it? What if you did nothing for 5 minutes, or even 2 minutes? What if you focused on your breathing, stared out the window, said a little prayer for the day, sent love and light to the people who care about? Even that little bit creates space for our souls to catch up.

And if your day starts to get away with you and you forgot to be still over coffee, or it wasn’t enough, Serge Benhayon reminds us that: “Stillness is an energetic quality of being… Stillness is a choice. It can be felt by living in a state of presence where we remain connected to ourselves and are completely present in our body… In this quality of presence there is something that ‘stands still,’ but it is not absent of physical movement. Rather, it is our beingness that remains unaffected by any movement, action or doing even though it moves, acts and does. It is the depth of the ocean unaffected by its waves…”

Awareness is the key to finding stillness under the waves. We can begin by being aware of ourselves, our attitudes and behaviors. Ask ourselves… why am I feeling off? Why am I grouchy? Why am I feeling unbalanced? Once we’ve recognized that we’ve gone down the rabbit hole of too busy, too overextended, too far ahead of our souls, awareness also helps us find stillness while we are yet moving.

To be aware, even for a moment, of the beauty of the world around us, of the smile that lights up another’s face, of the squirrel playing in the tree, of the taste of the food you are eating, of the gift of a hot shower, gets us out of our heads, off the hamster wheel, and puts us in a new space. When I do this, I can actually feel myself slowing down, gaining perspective, and connecting with a deeper part of me.

The voice calls out to each of us every day: Be still and know that I am God.

Love & Light!

Kaye