“Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen that stillness becomes a radiance.” – Morgan Freeman
There is magic to being still. Even in the bible, there’s a verse, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46;10)
Whether you’re religious or not, one can’t deny the fact that the ability to be still and quiet is something that is extremely important.
We live in a world that’s hectic, noisy, chaotic, and designed to grab your attention as much as it can. From social media apps to phone notifications to blaring advertisements all around you it just never ends.
Attention is the hottest commodity that private companies are desperate to get your attention. If you’ve noticed, most social media platforms are free. That’s because you are the product.
Your attention is being sold in the form of ads and so on. The more people on the platform, the higher the cost of advertising. That’s how important your attention is.
And yet, so many of us neglect to check just how much of our energy is being sapped when we’re being pulled in a dozen different directions.
Most people feel rejuvenated when they go to the beach and hear the gentle lolling of waves back and forth. They experience a sense of calm and peace.
This is the quiet and stillness you should aim for. Do not take the words ‘quiet and still’ literally. We’re talking about your mind being quiet and still… and not so much your surroundings.
Nature is never quiet, but it’s always beautiful to listen to… unlike man-made noisy attractions that are jarring to the mind and soul.
Meditation
Spend 10 minutes a day in meditation. There are many apps such as ‘Calm’ which you can download to guide you through your meditation. Build up from 10 to 20 minutes a day.
Practice this daily until it comes to you easily. Initially, meditation can be tough because your mind has a thousand thoughts racing through it. With time, you’ll be able to quiet these thoughts and still your mind.
Solitude
Let’s look at a few quotes on solitude from some of the world’s greatest thinkers…
“Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.” – Aristotle
“In solitude the mind gains strength and learns to lean upon itself.” – Laurence Sterne
“Solitude is painful when one is young, but delightful when one is more mature.” – Albert Einstein
They can’t all be wrong. There is strength in solitude. Sometimes when you’re highly stressed out, it’s best to take a break to be by yourself.
A 2 or 3-day break somewhere quiet will do wonders for your mind. Even Jesus used to take time outs from society to pray in the mountains.
You’ll experience peace and quiet like no other… and you’ll learn to be comfortable in your own company.
Dopamine detox
A dopamine detox is a fantastic way to find inner peace. The first step will be total avoidance of all digital items. Your mobile phone, TV, radio, etc. should all be avoided.
You just want a day of quiet where nothing grabs your attention. Many people find that they become sleepy because their ‘mind crashes’ from the release of all the pent-up stress and addiction to mobile devices.
If you can, aim for a 3-day stretch and take a proper dopamine detox. Avoid stimulants like coffee, nicotine, sugar, etc. Your detox applies to your food intake too.
Ideally, you may wish to detox your body at the same time, either with water fast or just a fruit/vegetable juice diet for a few days.
The process will probably be very difficult on the first and second days. But by the third day, you’ll realize that it’s one of the best things you could have ever done. Give it a try and you’ll never look back.
To conclude, give yourself time to find peace, quiet, and stillness. You’ll do more for your physical and mental health by taking a break from day-to-day life than you would by actively being a part of it non-stop. Music is the space between the notes.