Episode 9: The Power of Stillness

The Power of Stillness

In this episode of Spirituality on the Go, we explore the transformative practice of stillness. In a world consumed by hurry sickness—where busyness and urgency dominate our lives—stillness offers a path to reconnect with our true self and the divine.

We examine how the rush of daily life disconnects us from moments that truly matter and how intentional stillness can help re-center our minds, relax our bodies, and open our spirits to divine wisdom. Stillness is not just external quiet but an inner state of peace, a tuning into God’s presence.

Through a guided meditation called Be Still and Know, listeners learn three simple steps to cultivate stillness:

1. A Smile – Softening the face with a gentle smile releases calming endorphins, easing stress and inviting relaxation.
2. A Prayer Mantra – Repeating the phrase “May I be still” with each breath helps focus the mind and bring awareness to the present moment.
3. The Felt Sense of Stillness – Noticing the body's experience of stillness—whether a sense of peace, openness, or gentle calm—deepens the connection to God’s presence.

Stillness is a sacred space where we hear the whisper of love and wisdom. By embracing this practice daily, even in the midst of life’s activity, we can re-center ourselves, experience clarity, and reconnect with the God of love who is always within us.

Get into the Divine Flow by purchasing your copy of Finding Flow: Spiritual Practices to Reclaim Inner Peace, Balance, and Wholeness.

Click the link to purchase on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4jDXfla

Transcript

Brian Plachta: 0:02

Welcome to Spirituality on the Go, the podcast where you can discover simple, practical tools to help you find inner calm, connect with the divine flow and experience clarity, purpose and joy, even in life's busy moments. Today, we're going to dive into a powerful practice that can help us reconnect with our true self and the divine. That practice is stillness. Scripture says"Be still and know God." But we live in a world that encourages hustle, urgency, and constant doing. You may have heard of something called"hurry sickness." That refers to the constant sense of feeling rushed, always moving from one task to another. It's like our brains and bodies are in a perpetual state of go, go, go, and it's easy to forget how important it is to slow down. In today's episode, we're going to explore the problem of hurry sickness and how taking time to be still can be the solution you've been searching for. We'll look at how stillness benefits our mind, body, and spirit, and how it can help us reconnect with God, our true self, and the peace that lies deep within our hearts. So let's start by acknowledging the problem. We're often in a hurry, aren't we? The demands of daily life, work, family, social obligations can keep us feeling like we're always running to catch up. But when we rush through life, we miss out on the moments that truly matter. We end up being disconnected from our deeper self, from others, and from the divine. The good news is that stillness offers a way back to re-center and ground ourselves. And stillness isn't just about quieting our external surroundings. It's about quieting the internal noise, the chatter of our minds, the constant barrage of thoughts, and the need to slow down our bodies. When we embrace stillness we create space to reconnect with who we really are, and with the presence of God. It's like tuning our radio into the divine frequency. Stillness has remarkable benefits for our mind, body, and spirit. For our mind, stillness calms the restlessness. It gives us a break from the endless loop of thoughts that can often overwhelm us. By being still. We gain clarity, focus, and a sense of peace. For our bodies, when we're still, we release tension and stress that's accumulated in our bodies over time, even just during the day. Our breath deepens, our heart rate slows, and we allow ourselves simply to be rather than do. For our spirits, in stillness, we open the door to hearing the divine voice. It's in the quiet. In the space in between thoughts that we can hear that whisper of God's wisdom, love, and guidance. We can begin to hear the voice of love, the whisper of love within us. So how do we practice stillness in a world that's always on the move? How do we carve out the time to simply be still? Today I'm going to guide you through a meditation I call"Be Still and Know." We're going to use three simple steps. These steps will help you calm your mind, relax your body, and open your spirit to the divine presence of love and wisdom. The three steps are a smile, a prayer mantra, and the felt sense of stillness. So find a place where you can be quiet, a place for a few moments that you can be still, and let's begin. First, put a smile your face. A gentle smile. Just allow your face to soften into a simple, relaxed smile. When we smile, our brain releases calming endorphins that help reduce stress and promote a sense of well being. You might already notice that your body begins to relax a little more right now as you put that smile on your face. So take a deep breath in. As you exhale, let go of any tension you're holding in your face, shoulders, or body. Let your smile deepen with each breath. Simply sit here in this moment with a gentle smile on your face. Next, Use a prayer mantra. With each inhale and exhale, repeat, repeat this simple prayer mantra:"May I be still.""May I be still." As you breathe in, silently say,"May I." And as you breathe out, say,"Be still." May I be still. May I be still. Let each breath carry this intention deeper into your heart space. Because the mind can only focus on one thought at a time. By repeating this simple prayer mantra, you allow your mind to settle and sink into the present moment. Your mind rests in your heart. Let your thoughts come and go as you simply say to yourself, may I be still. And if your mind wanders, which it does, simply repeat. Return to that smile on your face, and the words,"May I be still.""May I be still." Next, focus on the felt sense of stillness in your body. What does it feel like in your body to be still? Notice, in your body, the felt sense of stillness within you. You might notice a sense of peace, a lightness, or calm. It might feel like your torso is opening up a space within inside of you. You might feel a gentle tingle slowing you down as you embrace the stillness within your body. You might notice your heartbeat. That gentle rhythm, slowly beating, slowly allowing your body to be still and know God. As you continue to rest in the felt sense of Stillness, know that this is a sacred place within you, where the divine can whisper silently to you. It's here in the quiet, in the stillness, that you can hear the voice of love and wisdom guiding you. Take just a few more moments to embrace this stillness, to enjoy stillness. Notice the smile on your face, your prayer mantra,"May I be still," and the felt sense in your body of stillness, as your body takes in the memory of what stillness feels like on the inside of you. When you're ready, gently bring your awareness back to this present moment. Notice your body, maybe wiggle your fingers and toes, and stretch if you need to, and then slowly open your eyes as you just allowed yourself to be still. I hope this practice of stillness has brought you a little peace today. Remember, even amidst the busyness of life, you can use these three simple steps to be still and know meditation, to recenter yourself and come back to that still space within you, that place where you can reconnect with your true self and the presence of God, who's always there within you. We just need to be still and draw our attention to the God of love that lives and breathes within you. Thank you for joining me in this episode of Spirituality on the Go. I encourage you to make stillness a part of your daily life, during your meditation practice, and also throughout the active part of your day. Stillness is a gift you give to yourself, your mind, your body, and your spirit. It allows you to re-center yourself in wholeness. Stillness is a way to hear the divine guidance. It's always available to you. Just be still and know God. Until the next time, be still and know you are loved. You are love, created in the image and likeness of the God of love, who loves you beyond measure.