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4 ways of finding stillness in life

By Operation-Meditation

We are living at a pace never before experienced on this planet. There are so many competing demands on our attention and the list seems to get longer by the day. It is no wonder that stress and anxiety often is part of our existence as well.
You can’t turn back time, but you can discover a way to find stillness in your life. Stillness is like an oasis of calm amongst the chaos and can rejuvenate and refresh your mind, body and spirit.

1. Find a little piece of nature

A recent study in Australia (Deakin University) has confirmed what you probably already instinctively knew. Being out in nature is good for you. ‘Green time’ is wonderfully effective at helping you find stillness in your life. You don’t need to have a tropical rainforest down the road, but try to find your own piece of green space that is quiet and easy for you to access. You may even try building your own little oasis. You may be surprised how little space is needed – a corner of a balcony, a courtyard or a sheltered corner of a yard. Even inside is fine. Fill the space with plants (they need to be living, not artificial), a comfortable chair or bench and anything other object that you find beautiful and relaxing. Candles, lanterns, statues – it is your green space so make it reflect you. Soon you will find yourself relaxing as soon as you move into your special space.

2. Inner stillness – discover meditation

Nothing beats meditation as a tool for quieting your mind and finding your inner place of stillness in life. Meditation cuts the ceaseless chatter of your mind allowing you to access the still, quiet calm of your deeper consciousness.
With practice and persistence you will develop the ability to find your quiet place no matter what is going on in your external environment. You will be able to practice meditation at work, on a crowded train, or anywhere you need to recharge and focus. Meditation works through a number of pathways, allowing fuller integration of your body and mind. As you continue with your meditation practice, you will come to look forward to your time spent in stillness. Session by session, layer by layer, your inner noise will slowly still; allowing you to finally experience the joy and peace of your inner stillness. When you find your inner stillness in life you will experience a deep sense of joy and contentment

3. Stillness for your body – stretch yourself with yoga

If meditation teaches you stillness for your mind, then yoga teaches stillness for your body. There are many different types of yoga but most involve the adoption of certain postures (asanas) and sustaining and relaxing into these postures. The use of the breath is also important. If you have not experienced yoga before and are used to exercise at a different pace, it can take a while to change your mindset. You will be probably be surprised at how good a workout you will get, and the wonderful sense of wellbeing you will experience.

4. Cultivate gratitude

The hustle and noise of your life may well be due to an underlying sense of discontent. A way to begin to improve your sense of contentment and satisfaction is to recognize and celebrate all the wonderful things in your life that you already have. This may sound trite, but ‘being grateful for what you’ve got’ really does help to turn your thinking upside down. Try just writing down a quick 20 things you are grateful for right now. Don’t think too hard, just do it as quick as you can. They can be anything from “surviving cancer” or “freedom” to “ grateful that my toddler didn’t spill his milk on the newly cleaned carpet today”. When you are done read it aloud. Celebrating and being grateful for the wonderful in your life is a powerful and joy-filled method of finding inner stillness.

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