We all know that life can certainly get a little crazy from time to time. In fact, for some it’s worse than that as the stress and pressures of everyday life keep piling up until they feel like they are going to burst.
I used to think that there was no easy way to break free from the demands upon our mind, body, emotions and inner resources. That was until I discovered the art of doing nothing.
Now, that might sound a bit whacko if you think about it too much as what the heck do I mean the art of doing nothing!
Well, that’s the easy part. You see, we are hard wired to value doing stuff more than we are to value being still. These days there’s rarely a moment we get to ourselves because of technology making it so easy for us to be connected to.
The downside of this is that most people don’t have a real connection to who they are on the inside because most of their time and energy is spent focusing on the outer world.
This means that when they do have a spare moment, they are already searching for something else to do, which is nothing more than a distraction from being present in the moment.
Until we can be happy and content being in silence with ourselves and not feel pressured to have to ‘do’ something to get rid of boredom or feelings of unease, then we can never truly be at peace with our lives.
It’s taken me 17 years of studying mindfulness and meditation techniques to fully understand what it means to be free on the inside. Being free simply means to be able to be present in the moment and not have to get pulled away into the past or future if you don’t want to be.
There is such a tremendous relief that happens in your mind and body when you can sit silently with yourself and be happy. This happiness is the purest form of joy you will ever know because it comes from a natural place inside you of quiet and calm.
What’s even better is that the more you tap into this inner calm, the more it starts to move out into your everyday activities. Even meditation is not something you do. Meditation is a place of stillness that arises from doing nothing. The doing part is just a technique or device to help quiet he mind long enough for stillness to happen.
One Minute Mindfulness Technique
If you haven’t yet tried connecting with your inner stillness and enjoyed the calm, clarity and vitality that this brings then try this simple mindfulness technique.
Whenever you are feeling stressed, whatever you’re doing be it about to pick up a cup, walking down the street, brushing your teeth, engaged in any activity whatsoever – just stop and be still for one minute. No movement at all – as if you are frozen.
It’s so easy to lose ourselves in the activities of our day. The power of this technique is to help us to become present for just a moment and remember to be here now. If you do this technique spontaneously you’ll find that it propel you instantly to your center.
For just one minute be present with whatever is happening. How is your body? What are you thinking? How is your breathing? Where is your energy moving to or from? Just be aware of these things without judging them or trying to change them. Then start to move again.
Just by being as still as a rock for one minute and noticing whats happening for you, suddenly you’ll find a stillness washes over your mind and body giving you instant clarity and vitality.
Try not to think too much about it ahead of time. Simply stop suddenly, come into the present, and see what happens.
There is tremendous power for happiness, health and enjoyment of life from allowing just a few moments of doing nothing each day. Who knows, maybe if your mind is clear, the rest of your life may get easier.
