It’s not often these days that we have the opportunity to stand still. So many thoughts overwhelm us – guilt that we ‘should’ be doing something all the time. ‘Multi tasking’ even – doing two or three things at the same time.
Being addicted to activity is just like any other addiction; the more we do, the more we need to do to get the original feeling of accomplishment. We end up with wall-to-wall activities – whether that’s meetings at work, committees or running errands for others. You add in extra bits – listening to podcasts while doing your chores. Sign up your children for after-school activities six days a week. Soon everything is so jumbled, reading while eating, shopping on the internet while watching TV and then you have to literally ‘get away’ from your home to have a moment’s peace.
Try today – just to stand still for 1 minute – maybe in your favourite balance pose or in Tadasana, evenly on 2 feet. Breathe, pause, watch the mind. It takes strength and courage to stand still. Being still begins to still the mind and then the reality of stillness kicks in. We have to face our thoughts.
Allow any thoughts to float away – they are just thoughts – “I should be doing…”, “I should be helping…”, “If I don’t get that done…” Let them go. Say to yourself –
I have all the time in the world
Picture in your mind an image of a Buddha in meditation. Keep breathing deeply and slowly for 5 to 10 breaths. Repeat on the other leg if you were balancing.
When you are finished, reflect for a moment how you feel, body, mind and soul.
