The Power of Stillness

"The awareness of Stillness is the source of all healing,

as well as creativity, joy, Love, compassion and all other

positive qualities. The whole Universe arises, rests and

dissolves in the that space of Stillness."

Tenzin Gyatso Rinpoche

With the world now on pause, and our lives slowed down to just this moment, we may be feeling that there's something more that we need to be 'doing', as we wonder what is going to happen next. So perhaps we have tackled those projects we have been waiting to get too, or binge watched our favorite T.V. shows; maybe called all our friends to see how they're doing, or tried out a new recipe. But in the end, after three weeks of enforced solitude, there's only so much a person can 'do' while self-isolating, only so many distractions we can fill our time with, only so much extra work we can take on before we realize that, what may be actually driving us crazy about this Pandemic, is not that there is something more to 'do', but that we are scared to death to just let ourselves 'Be' for awhile.

And isn't that what this time is really all about? Isn't it all the 'doing' that has led us to this point of exhaustion and collapse, both individually and collectively? Could it be that the Tao (or God, or whatever you wish to call the Divine Source), has hit the pause button to give us the opportunity to actually 'wake up' to what is really important once again, to come home to our essential Beingness and just allow ourselves to relax for awhile? For those that actually allow themselves to do this during this time, they will find the Tao waiting with open arms, like a mother welcoming home her lost child; to give comfort, rest and healing to our bodies, minds and most of all our restless spirits. If we simply allow ourselves to fully stop, even for 10 minutes, we will discover a profound Stillness waiting for us - the Source of all true creativity, healing and joy.

All we need to 'do', is allow ourselves to Be. Take time out each day during this 'crisis' to be Still, to listen deeply to the inner-silence, and heal yourself in that Divine Presence. In this Being Still, all of the doing that you need to do will reveal itself naturally and effortlessly, and you will have the actual energy (Qi) to carry out those inspirations you receive. Yet the key is to first Be Still. Why not do it right Now? What are you waiting for? Take a moment from your 'not-as-busy-as-I-used-to-be-day, and close your eyes. Let you body be absolutely Still, and feel the flow of your spacious breath as it moves through an opening in the middle of your chest, filling your heart and lungs with the pure Light of Love, joy and bliss (if you like to visualize colors, see this breath as a deep purple or whatever color works for you). Lift your interior gaze upward, as if looking through your forehead into an open night sky, and listen deeply to the Silence where you are as you continue to breath the healing Light of your breath.

Stay with it for 10 minutes, and you will have done more to boost your immune system, calm your weary mind and lift your sagging spirit, than all of your 'doing' could ever do. For those who have a hard time sitting for longer periods of meditation, do this practice for 10 minutes, 3 times per day. It is in this way that we can make use of this sacred opportunity we have been given to awaken during this Pandemic. All of the spiritual practices we have been 'doing' for all of these years have been to prepare us for this exact time. Don't squander this opportunity. And remember; all you need to 'do', is allow yourself to Be.