Renewing in the Stillness

I was tempted to leave this section blank. No words. Simply the restful stillness of white space…

All this talk of quiet and solitude is nice, but who among us gets to have that on any regular basis? Even those who live extremely privileged lives are by and large deprived of silence and solitude. Noise and incessant demands are our constant companions. How can our spiritual Selves make their still, small voices heard amid the din? How can the higher and deeper ideas, feelings, and intuitions emanating from our souls get through the static of hectic daily lives? They can’t, unless we stop and incorporate the three Rs—rest, renewal, and restoration—into our schedules.

As already mentioned, rest is necessary for both body and soul, and being sleep-deprived is as close to bona fide craziness as we come. Although we probably will not go insane, without quiet, reflective spaces in which to rest our souls, open to inspiration, and be refreshed and renewed, we can definitely become confused, bewildered, and hopeless. Being still allows the murky waters of our minds to clear and invites the light of heart and soul to shine on, and from, our inner and outer lives.

Excerpted from How to Stay Upbeat in a Beat Down World by Sue Patton Thoele. Available on Amazon.