Stillness is Not Silent and Silence is Not Still: Finding Equilibrium | The Let Go

Being still, looking, and listening activates the non-conceptual intelligence within you. Let stillness direct your words and actions.

~Echhart Tolle

The world is testing our mental soundness. Fueled by the dramatic and life-changing weather patterns, coupled with disinformation and misinformation propagated by mass media, have thrown many off-kilter and left many feeling out of sorts. Yet, the quest for equilibrium is always present, and a quiet call traverses the ethers, signaling a time for stillness.

While taking action feels proactive, it is not always the answer. There are also times when reflection is needed. When faced with significant challenges, a breath and a pause are essential before taking action.

Finding equilibrium can be discovered when we become still. Stillness is the absence of movement or sound; however, neither can be completely absent. The very essence of our planet, which rotates at a rate of 1000 mph, prevents total stillness. We don’t feel the spinning because everything else-including the oceans and atmosphere-rotates simultaneously. Living and breathing also prevent true silence. Our breath, heartbeat, and blood coursing throughout our bodies create never-ending movement and sound.

What does it mean to have stillness if nothing is genuinely still or silence if there is always sound? The gift the universe has given us is the lack of either.

Our Qi, breath, and heartbeat help us as we struggle to disengage from the external world. They also support us as we sit alone and travel inward. Focusing on our beating hearts and the rise and fall of our life’s breath can help us find stillness. As we move towards the stillness, our heartbeat and breath synchronize, calming our thoughts. Yet, sitting within our quietness, the very act of nothingness may propel us to want to do.

When we return our focus to our breath and heartbeat, we can redirect the restlessness that arises, guiding us to equilibrium. As we delve deeper into the universe’s rhythm, further away from our bodies’ awareness, harmony develops.

Silence our talkative, rational brains, and we will gain a deep understanding. The harmony we seek outside of ourselves can only be true if we find it within.

The challenge we face is simply becoming still. Transformation and energy shifting take time, so we must be patient. However, if we can reframe our attitude to understand that stillness is not silent and silence is not still, we may discover that the challenge of reflection is not as daunting as we anticipated.

Inner stillness is not passivity. Instead, it is a cultivation of this quietude to gain clarity.

Stepping into Equilibrium

Begin by:

Removing distractions. While we can never be distraction-free, we can help ourselves by eliminating the ones we control.

• Electronic devices: Don’t just turn them off; put them in the other room. Not only is it tempting to check when they vibrate, but the electromagnetics emitted from them can interrupt our energetic field.
• Enter with a mind free and clear of immediate tasks. For example, if you have a sink full of dishes or an email that must be sent, do those first.

Set an accomplishable goal.

• Start with 5 minutes, not 30. If the five is easy, stay longer.
• Set a schedule. Make it a win-win. Start with what you will do. 1–2 or 2–3 times a week, and extend it once you find your groove.

Permit yourself:

Finding Equilibrium comes in many forms.

• Meditation is a practice and a learned skill. It is often easier to start with an instructor. Now, online groups via Zoom are prevalent. Find a teacher whose voice you enjoy.
• Apps can also work. Insight and Synctuition are two I use for meditation, chants, and sounds. Binaural beats that work with frequency tones have proven beneficial in inducing states of meditation. I like one called Brainwave.
• Sound baths, drum circles, unstructured dancing, pranayama, and chanting are proven and fun ways to let go of our conscious minds.
• Spending time grounding, earthing, nature walks, and observing water in silence are ways to find balance.

Mindfulness may start as a lifestyle choice: the need for peace and balance is desired. Then, as our practice develops, stillness gently replaces the noise we once sought to escape until we realize our lives are now resonating with unwavering equilibrium.

While we explore the vast world that opens up to us in the quietest moments, we may experience what we have tapped into, which is the heart of what makes us who we yearn to be.

Many years ago, it was access to information and movement that seemed our greatest luxury; nowadays it’s often freedom from information, the chance to sit still, that feels like the ultimate prize.
~ Pico Iyer

Originally published at https://www.theletgo.com on January 25, 2025.