I spent the last week in Qigong teacher training at Kripalu Retreat Center. The training was wonderful, and I will write more about it in future blogs. But what I want to focus on this morning is simply cultivating our awareness of stillness, which is a part of Qigong and many other mindfulness practices.
It is no surprise that it’s easier to sense stillness in a rural retreat center far from our normal responsibilities. The training started at 7 AM each day and ended at 9 PM…a kind of Qigong immersion that required most of my attention and energy. But that was the easy part. Cultivating stillness and taking it into the world is the real test.
And the chaos of the world waits at the gate. At the airport I became aware of some sad and negative events that had happened while I was away. Flying home, which is a challenge for me on any day, was made more difficult by turbulence, loud and rude people, and exhaustion. And then because of a Lyft snafu it took hours to get home from the airport. In the midst of this I could hear a small voice reminding me that this is why we practice. Anyone can go to a retreat for a week and be peaceful. The skill is in carrying the peace into the world.
Practice is the key. Just as we can hone our sailing skills in calm water before we encounter a storm, we can cultivate stillness on a regular basis to prepare for life’s rough spots. This isn’t a big revelation, but it’s one we often forget. Without some ongoing attention to stillness when it’s “easy”, we probably won’t be calling it up when things are hard.
This week’s mindfulness focus is on cultivating stillness during the “easy” times.
Here are two thoughts:
- We must devote some time to the endeavor. A week away at a retreat center may not be possible for many people. However most of us have time in our lives to devote to mini retreats. One of the keys to qigong is the focus on the breath and breath practices are one of the easiest to incorporate throughout our day. Not only is the breath vital in keeping us alive, it is simple, free, and accessible. If we already have a regular practice, we can give some attention to deepening and extending our practice. And this brings me to idea number two.
- How much practice time could we find if we limited our cellphone, computer, and other electronic media use? Kripalu has a strict policy on cellphones and devices. They are limited to a few spaces and not allowed in training rooms, the dining hall or main areas. I loved it! It enabled me to let go of the world’s latest news and funny cat videos for a week. It also allowed me to let go of the burden and expectation that emails and texts will be answered 60 seconds after I get them. There were so many wonderful experiences about the week, but the cell phone free zones were one of the most important. They created an openness, a silence, and a space for stillness to reveal itself.
This week we can practice cultivating stillness and also examining how we can make more time in our lives for this practice.
For more information on weekly mindfulness focus words click here.
For more information on Qigong click here.
Kripalu Photos
