Inhabit Your Experience

“Within yourself there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” – Herman Hesse wrote in his novel as he contemplated consciousness. It is a lovely sentiment, but it may be surprisingly challenging to reconnect with the inner stillness in this productivity-obsessed era. Our society seems to highly value perpetual motion and accomplishing more in less time. It discounts the non-doing that allows for gathering of the necessary inner resources. I’m afraid, we are slowly depleting ourselves as a society. When depleted, we may begin to diminish our capacity to feel and to enjoy life.

THE KEY TO HAPPINESS LIES IN NON-DOING

My explorations of stillness led me to uncover deep layers of escapism, restlessness, and the toughest of all, guilt. Once uncovered and deeply felt these sensations begin to feel unreal as if they were totally made up and for a tiny moment I exist completely outside of my personality. This ongoing discovery process is non-linear. It bears resemblance to taking a boat towards the middle of the lake. The destination is not a precise point in space, yet you know when you’ve arrived. As Alan Watts pointed out, “we don’t become still by attempting to be still, but by leaving the mind alone”, for it is an exercise in non-doing. It is simple, but it is not easy as the conditioned mind wants to strive to achieve the new goal. Here is how it is usually happening for me:

  • Create time for yourself away from distraction and step out from your current reality. Sit still and follow your breath.
  • Orient awareness from center outwards to meet the inner sensations and watch what wants to transpire. Let the qualities unravel just the way they are. Let them affect you. Observe the sensations without judging. Surrender.
  • Do not label the sensations, just feel into your internal “weather patterns”. When you are trying to describe something, you become removed from it. Let the feelings be, let them come, don’t welcome anything, don’t avoid anything.
  • The qualities are the expressions of you and you just need to provide space for them to be. Ride it out for a little bit and then let it go.

IT TAKES COURAGE

Being present with stillness may initially open up a rawness in you. It can take you to a place of longing and temporary unrest, as it tears through years of suppression. It takes courage to step away from the doing and into the uncharted territory of vulnerability. Just hold the gates wide open and allow the sensations to arise, observe, feel, acknowledge, let go as best you can. Sometimes, painful memories may remind you of the unresolved pain. You may even feel stuck. Just hold the space for the sensations. How would you express what you are feeling without projecting at others?

INHABIT YOUR EXPERIENCE, FEEL THE MAGIC

Paradoxically, the emotional (and physical) pain is a sign of vitality, for if we are traumatized we do not have the luxury of feeling, not even the pain. As Friedrich Nietzshe memorably put it: a fulfilling life requires embracing rather than running from difficulties.  Own your experience, the good, the bad, and the ugly. The pain will eventually subside after it’s expressed and if you allow the stillness long enough, the magic will begin to unfold.

Few days ago I received an email from a friend and in it he said “the window of opportunity is now”. This one sentence struck me and I realized on a deeper level that there is a tremendous potential in every single moment. In every littlest now there is an invitation to reconnect with the soul through stillness, an opportunity to inhabit the experience. And when you do reconnect with the deepest sense of self, it may seem like the moment is expanding to infinity, the sensual perception is heightened and all seems exactly as it should be. From that place, you will see our purpose more clearly and love the world more deeply.

Be still and know, my friends.

In all the mountains,

Stillness;

In the treetops

Not a breath of wind.

The birds are silent in the woods.

Just wait: soon enough

You will be quiet too.

~ Robert Hass, “After Goethe” from Time and Materials

We are Fluid Bodies

Our bodies are composed of 75% water, similar to the makeup of the earth surface – 70% water 30% land. We are used to experiencing our body as a solid structure made out of separate parts, divided into systems. But when you take a look at the cellular world it …

A Beautiful Concept of the Breath of Life

Imagine a flute. That flute represents you.

As the breath passes through the instrument it generates a sound that is unique to you. Is it harmonious and clear or do you hear some discord and irregularities in your expression? Perhaps you’ve already mastered the lower tones and wish to move to the higher scales? 

The first step is to orient inwards and listen. What do you hear? The second step is to get to know your instrument and find the obstacles that prevent you from playing the available range. You may need to learn to settle deeper into an embodied presence (heal the body), and/or release the trauma and emotional self-sabotage (emotional healing), and/or learn your karmic lessons (heal the soul).

The Breath of Life is a pure energy that animates us. It is up to each one of us to master the instrument we’ve been given.

The Breath of Life is a universal concept that predates ancient Egypt. It permeated most spiritual traditions and appears in many cultures under different names. Its most recognized visual representation is the Egyptian Ankh (also known as the Key of Life).

Be still and know

“Within yourself there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.”, Herman Hesse wrote in his novel as he contemplated consciousness and the best way to approach understanding  reality. It is a lovely sentiment, but it may be surprisingly challenging to …

Merging with the Horizon

Why does looking at the ocean (or any large body of water) make us feel so peaceful and quiet inside? In fact, I already feel softer, more expanded at the mere thought of it… Maybe because, as our awareness widens towards the horizon, it begins to resonate with our internal …