Stillness: what challenges the stillness?

Wrapping up this month’s discussion on “becoming comfortable with stillness,” we’ll reflect on the last question to ask ourselves about stillness- what challenges the stillness we have? In yoga and Ayurveda, we talk about the states of mind we can take on, the gunas. There is a great article describing these states of mind that you can find here on Yoga International’s website. We are always playing with the balance of being in a sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic state of mind. Sattva is state of being content seeking higher states of consciousness. Rajas is the state of being caught in life’s “dramas” and “traumas.” And Tamas is losing one’s way and being ignorant of life.

When we are able to harness a sattvic state, we are able to find calmness and stillness. So what challenges that sattvic state?… Getting caught in the rajasic and tamasic states. Generally, in my everyday life, I’m most challenged by rajas. The daily dramas that play out, whether that’s from social media, news, or the people we surround ourselves with. We can notice when we are getting caught by life’s drama by being the “silent watcher” of your thoughts and behavior, which is what we talked about in the last blog, Stillness: How to find it?

How do we be the “watcher” without getting too caught up in the Rajas, dramas, of life? That comes when we are able to carry the yoga we practice on the mat, out into the world. As Patanjali says:

“Yoga means stillness of mind and freedom from oscillations and various mental precesses” ~ Patanjali

That stillness can be harnessed during our yoga practice through watching the breath, linking body and movements, slowing down to body to find as sense of ease… these are all ways to be free from mental oscillations. And when we can sink deep into that practice, we get this outer strength.

“Inner stillness is the key to outer strength” ~ Jared Brock

So let’s work on being comfortable with stillness to bring an outer strength… that’s where the radiance comes in. Such beautiful words by Morgan Freeman:

“Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen - that stillness becomes a radiance.” ~ Morgan Freeman

Tune in for next month’s discussion on Making Your Own Mantra.

With deep love and gratitude