March 23, 2016 – Move

Move

“Being still does not mean don’t move. It means move in peace.”
E’yen A. Gardner – Contemporary American poet

“Movement is the freedom of the body; stillness, of the mind.”
Marty Rubin (1964- ) Swiss athlete

Recently we looked at a Neruda poem which says be still and don’t move around so much so that silence can become a healing force in your life. However, from my experience of teaching Stopping, I realize there are many for whom being physically still is difficult, and for an extended period of time, almost impossible. I believe it has to do with one’s unique physicality; it’s not a weakness or fault.

If this is you — or even if it isn’t and you’d enjoy some variety in your meditation/Stopping time — remember this: You can achieve stillness and quietude and mindfulness without necessarily being physically still.

Try doing your quiet/meditation/Stopping time while pacing: Walking a deliberate, delineated, and repetitive path, such as walking in a circle, or back-and-forth in a room, or anywhere. It’s any route that is safe and predetermined so you don’t have to be too attentive to where you’re going. A perfect example is the Labyrinth. Click here for more info or to locate a labyrinth near you.

Achieve inner stillness while physically moving.