2 Minutes to Find Inner Stillness

I’ve been pondering the concept of inner stillness, inner peace, and how they are related.  And I’ve realized that they are closely related but different.  Inner stillness is the well from which inner peace can be drawn. As thoughts and feelings slow down with inner stillness, there is room for the feelings of inner peace to blossom.  

So I’ve decided that in February I will share ideas and practices to help us find our way to inner stillness…so that in March we can use our inner stillness to cultivate inner peace. 

My mission with these weekly writings is to offer you an invitation to rethink your habitual patterns and conditioned thinking, an invitation to get out of your usual grooves to find a better way of being, to find more joy, peace, love, confidence and clarity. 

So today I invite you to think about what inner stillness means for you, what it feels like and how you can find it.

To me, inner stillness is a calm state of mind and body where the thoughts settle, the body relaxes and where you feel quietly present rather than being pulled in all directions by thoughts and worries.  Like you’ve just pressed the pause button on the noises in your head, and your body rests in comfortable stillness.

Inner stillness is the space beyond the thoughts, the slowing of your mind in meditation, the softening of your body in yoga, the gaps between your inhales and exhales. It’s the place where you are fully present, calm and connected to others through love, appreciation and compassion.  

It’s in that inner stillness that you find your authentic self, where you unlock the wisdom you need to live the life you dream of.  It’s where you find your creativity.  It’s where you find your courage and confidence.

Humans are naturally active, always thinking and doing.  So inner stillness takes practice. Meditation, yoga and pranayama all help us to find inner stillness within our practices.  And there are ways to find inner stillness throughout the day, whenever you feel you need it and wherever you are.

Try any of these 5 mini practices to find inner stillness in 2 minutes or less. These little practices are like pressing pause on your sensations, thoughts and emotions, just for a couple of minutes.  You can use them in moments of stress or to create small pockets of stillness as part of your everyday routine.  Think about doing these while you are commuting on a train or bus, standing in line, waiting for an appointment, just before a meeting, drinking your coffee, etc.  You don’t need silence to find stillness!  

Set a timer if you want.  Or just do this for what feels like a couple of minutes.  Every single minute of stillness helps to pave your pathway to inner peace!

1. Place Hands Over Heart
Place your hands on your heart, one on top of the other, close your eyes or soften your gaze and connect with your heart.  Sitting or standing, silent and still, feel your heart beating or just feel your heart energy.   Do this for a couple of minutes, simply focusing on your heart…your source of courage and wisdom.

2. Just Sit
Try a mini version of the Zen Buddhist meditation style called “Just Sitting”. Find a comfortable sitting position, anywhere, with your spine straight but relaxed, breathe naturally and close your eyes or soften your gaze downwards. And then do just that - sit quietly. There is no method to follow. There is nothing to focus on.  Allow your mind to be spacious, to flow freely.  Just sit still and be present to whatever arises in your mind, without judgement.  Notice…and then let the thoughts float away.

3. Rest in the Pauses Between Breaths
Stop for a moment or two, sitting or standing, and just breathe.  Breathe deeply once to settle, then let your breath find it’s natural, gentle flow.  As you breathe, simply notice the spaces between the inhales and the exhales, the quiet, peaceful pauses. Just notice. And rest in those little spaces.

4. Gently Scan Your Body
Find steadiness by closing your eyes and taking three deep breaths.  Then scan your awareness gently down from the crown of your head through your whole body.  From your forehead and your eyes, to your jaw, your neck and shoulders, arms and hands, to your chest and abdomen, your hips and thighs and knees, all the way down to the soles of your feet. As you take this minute to scan, intentionally relax each part of your body and release any tension they may be holding.  Notice how your body feels today, with no judgement at all.

5. Stand Still and Get Grounded
Stop for a moment stand still, notice your feet and feel them rooting down into the earth. Try lifting all of your toes off the ground, spread them wide, and then firmly plant them back down into the ground.  Lift your knee caps to engage your thigh muscles and gently pull your abdominal muscles in towards your spine.  Allow your shoulders to relax and drop away from your ears.  Stand a little taller.  Notice how it feels to be standing in stillness, firmly grounded and connected to the earth.

And simply take notice of how you feel after these little practices.

A book to inspire you:  Stillness Speaks: Whispers of Now, by Eckhart Tolle

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