The Art of Stillness

There are times in our lives that call on us to be still. If we ignore the subtle hints for long enough, the Universe might intervene. Sometimes we are forced into that still place. It might be a flu that “knocks us off our feet” or we may twist an arm or break a foot and we are “cast” into stillness.

We humans are a very stubborn species. Rest is often not something we do willingly. Perhaps our resistance comes from our societal beliefs that we need to be productive…and if we are not “doing something” we are not being productive.  Perhaps it is our fear of what might rise up from this still space that keeps us from it. When we get stubborn and ignore the messages our bodies are sending, the Universe lovingly steps in––sometimes with gentle coaxing and sometimes with something that gives us no choice but to be still. The latter is what happened to me.

It started with something small

It began with a small reaction on my hand that became aggravated by water The wetter my hand became, the more inflamed the reaction became and the bigger it got. I tried using gloves when I needed to be around water, but even the moisture that was created between the waterproof material and my skin proved to aggravate my hand.

It was clear that what was needed by my hand in this time was to be dry, but I did not listen. So my hand became more and more aggravated until it got to a point where the Universe intervened…where the natural order took over to create what the Universe always creates…balance and harmony. My hand began to ooze and crust over and it created EXACTLY what my hand needed.  A cover to keep it dry and this stiff crust kept it still.

A bandaid

The Universe gently coaxed me at first with a small reaction, but now I was at a point where I no longer had the choice to keep my hand dry and still. I physically couldn’t move my hand. It was as if it was in a cast––one created by Gaia––but a cast nevertheless and for all the intents and purposes of one.

It was my right hand that was affected and I am right handed. There was very little I was able to do. I couldn’t do the dishes. I couldn’t prepare meals. I couldn’t type. I couldn’t take pictures of the stones. I couldn’t create listings. It’s amazing how much I needed my right hand to do almost everything. So here I was with lots of energy and inspiration and so much to be done and I couldn’t do anything. If I say I was frustrated it would be an understatement.

The cause and the cure

Eventually I relaxed into the Universe's command to slow down and rest. That's when I was able to listen more deeply to the message that was coming through. I hadn't been able to hear it through the noise of my resistance. The Universe was giving me the medicine that I needed through the every thing that caused my aggravation––WATER!

Of course it was not ordinary water. This experience happened around the time that I was gifted the Star Songs, ethereal elixirs created through a process of spiritual alchemy. This mystical medicine was exactly what the Universe was guiding me to use on my hand. Amazingly enough it eased the burn and the itch on my hand, even though I was essentially doing the very thing that caused an aggravation––pouring water on it.

Too busy arguing

I hadn't been able to see the incredible gift I'd been given because I was too busy arguing with what was. It was when I finally began to listen and trust what the Universe was telling me that my suffering eased. And it really did require an enormous amount of trust to do something that I seen over and over again cause a reaction in my hand.

It really was quite an extraordinary experience. While the Universe was gifting me with the Star Songs, they also orchestrated the circumstances where I would be able to personally experience their magic. The suffering led to the surrender which allowed me to enter the stillness so that I could hear the voice of the Universe. Then I was given the opportunity to trust the medicine I was given, even though this same stuff was what caused my suffering to begin with.

Crystal cohorts

I had help in learning how to surrender to the stillness. The Stone beings were among my greatest guides. Crystals are masters at the art of being still. We can learn from them simply by being in their presence. This is actually the best way to learn from the stone beings. Just be with them. You don’t have to be able to “hear” the song of stones. You don’t have to be able to “feel” energy or see auras. All that is required is an open heart and a willingness to sit with them. That’s all it takes.

So don’t wait until the next time you find yourself with a flu or a sprained ligament or sore muscle, or any other scenario where the Universe forces you into a period of stillness. Begin now to appreciate the quiet moments in your life. As resistance begins to fade, you will find a sense of deep peacefulness that will flower into joy.

Originally published March 31, 2013