STILLNESS IS THE WAY

Have you ever spent time, I mean really spending time, watching a baby looking at it's hands?
Have you ever watched your beloved partner while being deep asleep?
Did you ever go for a walk through the woods and smell the flora after a strong period of rain?
Did you ever tread snow early in the morning before anyone had even seen it?
Did you ever hold an old persons hand while she/he was leaving her/his body peacefully?
Did you ever sit near the sea and watch the sun slowly sinking into it and the sky develop its magnificent colours?

I really hope that you can answer "yes" to more than one question.

If you have, I hope that you have felt the stillness in these moments. The joy that they let you be part of; a joy that is not just a personal possessive joy, but a very real, for everybody achievable joy.

Nowadays life is very fast. It is colourful and loud, and many people seem to be in a hurry. When one asks them to sit down, they prefer to stand as they have no time. Yet somehow I always seem to feel that they don’t really get more done than if they would take some time for the niceties in life. The interesting thing is that time is not something we have or don’t have. Time is, or maybe time isn’t. But we cannot have it.

If we would listen, really listen to our inner voice, to other people, to the sounds of nature, and within all this loudness still find and even hear the stillness, our health would tremendously improve. Our life quality would rise immensely. We would feel more invigorated and strong to take on the tasks of everyday living. And what is more: we would even enjoy it all. And all of a sudden, we realise that of course there is time; time for everything we really find important. Our priorities change and our life flows. Just like that.

You don’t believe me?
Then take one of the above mentioned examples; I will even give you a few more:
Read the proverb that is printed at today's page of you diary out loud
Remember a beautiful name you have heard and say it several times to yourself
Put your nose deep into this flower whose scent you enjoy
Watch this old couple holding hands, loving each other
Watch the lambs wriggle their tails while drinking from their mother's milk

Enough? Ok, now just feel how you feel after and while doing this. Yeah, feel what you feel, that's right. Most people are not aware of what they are feeling. The lack of stillness causes this. And, do you feel still how good this is? Then tell yourself to remember this, as you notice the positive affect it has on you. And repeat it, or be adventurous and try out some of the other examples I have given to you. For to be happy STILLNESS IS THE WAY!!

With love,
Ria Panen Godesberg