Stillness Matters

I have a wise cousin, who is liberal with her wisdom and experience. This past week she invited her friends to embrace stillness, and in that stillness, to let the God of truth impart greater understanding and learning upon our souls. Part of that process is being willing to challenge our beliefs... do they align with God's definition of truth, or do they align more with convenience and worldly views and attitudes? This is the challenge for us all in mortality... to recognize truth AND to also be able to recognize when something false might impersonate truth. I know that judging something means taking upon ourselves that energy - so if we judge something to be dark (especially if it is not), we invite darkness into our lives. If we judge something or someone to be good, we invite light into our souls and in so doing open ourselves up to greater learning, wisdom, and love. If we simply withhold judgment - especially of people - we actually open ourselves up to light, wisdom, and love as well. 

I'd like to share her words with you here:

"As soon as we judge something to be good, bad, right, or wrong, We lock ourselves into a fixed mental position. And when we feel to defend these positions, we limit our experience, judge others harshly and feel terrible for it. This stunts our growth.

Might I recommend...

Be fully present in each moment you find yourself. Before you judge, notice the new information that feels unfamiliar to you and tell it, "Thank you."

Thank you for the opportunity to expand your consciousness.

Thank you for the new vantage point.

Thank you for the new way to relate to others and to the world.

Thank you for the opportunity to love unconditionally.

Thank you for the new opportunity to rid myself of the shackles of limited perspectives.

Thank you for this new opportunity to go to the creator for my wisdom and truth

“Happiness that depends on anything outside of you, be it, a wife, child, money, fame, friends, (and might I add fixed beliefs) cannot last. But if you find happiness in God, who is everywhere, all-pervading, who is your self, that is real happiness.” - Sri Anandamayi Ma

Open your mind, soften your heart, and let go of everything you think you know so that the God of the universe can teach you without man’s filters.

... be open to the possibility that your beliefs are not always telling you the truth.

Do you have the courage to let go of beliefs that limit you in order to follow your heart?

Do you have the courage to let go of the many things you cling to in this world because beliefs, tell you to cling to them?

...Let stillness teach you" -- Janet Thurgood

 I love the theme of gratitude her invitation embodies. I believe that gratitude for the things we experience in this life has a refining effect on our souls. Gratitude and stillness help invite God's peace more tangibly into our hearts and the result is greater joy.