In stillness there is clarity

I have always struggled to meditate. To clear my mind of all the thoughts seems an impossible task. Even when my thoughts would slow, my body would suddenly get restless, I would need to itch, move or cough as I tried to surrender to the bliss that was supposed to come effortlessly.

These past few weeks have created a forced pause and a stillness that for many of us that may feel like uncomfortable stillness. Savasana is the practice of lying still at the end of your yoga practice and allowing space for the physical practice to integrate with the mindfulness and lessons to meld. I feel we are going though a massive global savasana.

Have you ever sat in a canoe or a kayak in the middle of a lake? Only when the breeze settles, the ripples silence and you stop moving are you able to see a whole other world below the surface. With a slight shift of our gaze, we can see the reflection of the sky above, the birds and the clouds and then as our focus narrows and our eyes penetrate the surface can we see far below the surface. For some, this perspective of depth feels like a great adventure that unfolds beneath, but for many, it brings a sense of unease and fear.

Can you sit in the stillness?

Can you allow your perspective to shift, to see what lies below the surface?

Or do you just want to keep moving, to paddle back to the safety of the shore and find your solid ground?

My peace comes from knowing that even when my awareness isn’t directed below my surface, the same darkness is there. Even when my mind and body are busied with to do lists… my fears, dreams and unspoken words are always there.

And just as it is with the lake water, all of the things below the surface affect the water. There is not the same flow and spaces of stagnation and sludge may be created.

When we pause, allow the discomfort and allow our perception to shift even for a moment, we may just see something incredible, lying just below the surface ready to see the light and to let itself be seen.

Like a lilypad, growing from the darkness, reaching toward the light. They are often not visible to us until they have broken the surface. My favorite discovery was finding a bloom just below the surface and taking a moment to reflect on the message. All the growth, the hard work, the reaching and growing and strive happens below the surface for most of us. I think this is the most profound spot, when you have bloomed, all the beauty is there in its full glory and still unseen or appreciated by the outside world. Only here is there a joy known only to yourself, unscathed and unjudged.

Can you stop and appreciate the moment before it is revealed?