Being Still. How to achieve peace of mind.

In this episode, the Bald Brothers discuss the definition of being still and how this is part of the first step in creating your purposeful life. They discuss the idea of whether being still is the same as meditating. In addition, they tell how they learned to "be still" and achieve peace of mind. 

This episode ends with a story from a listener who had perpetrated a crime and how he discovered his faith, found spiritual peace and turned his life around. We believe that someone's lived life experience will serve as a playbook for someone who may be going through a similar issue. 

Join us for our next series entitled "Is there a God?" In this series we will look at the various beliefs/non-beliefs and compare/contrast these to gain a basic understanding of how people believe or not believe in the idea of God.

Last, but not least, Help Us to Help Others. A portion of funds donated to us is given to someone that is in need in the form of monetary relief, food or personal supplies. To support our ministry, please give at:

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Transcript

0:03

Yeah, that's mind, body, soul. We connected with the globe. Yeah, that's mind, body, soul took some discipline, repetition and some self-control. We connected with the globe. Yeah. That's mind, body, soul. Whoa. Yeah. That's mind, body, soul. Hey. Yeah. That's Mind, body, soul took some discipline, repetition and some self-control. Triple lies be the tribe yet that my body, soul. Welcome to CRC to Soul, the only uncut, unedited podcast that is dedicated to helping you to find spiritual peace in your life. Kim, this is the last episode in our four-part series on the Meaning of life. Hello everybody. It's been a great discussion and I hope everybody got something out of it. So yeah, like last week we discussed how do you create and plan the path to having a purpose. Purpose in life. We discussed the idea of spiritual wellbeing and what that meant. And in addition, Gary you gave a very interesting formula for helping people to plan for a purposeful life. Mm-hmm. And, and you even wrote a book about it, and I emphasized that I thought that you must first start from a place of peace or stillness in the mind. So this week we wanna discuss how to start your purposeful journey in life. And as before. I truly believe that you have to start from a place of stillness. That's just what I believe you have to be still. And this week we wanna discuss how to be still. Okay. Okay. Last week you emphasized the fact that in order to find your purpose and live your purpose, that it was necessary to be still. And you stated, and correct me if I'm wrong, that you find peace in the quiet or in being still. So the question I have is, what exactly does that mean? You know, starting from a place of being still, what does that mean now? I truly believe that people want peace and they have to start somewhere. But what does it mean to be still or to start from a place of peace? As you discussed it last week as we discussed it last week. Mm-hmm. And I think telling someone to be still doesn't help. Mm-hmm. So how can someone be still if they don't know what it means and. I'm gonna ask you, how did you start to learn to get to this point of, of being steel? Okay. Uh, well, you know, I'm glad you asked that question. You know, at the last week's podcast, you know, I, I realized that, uh, neither one of us really talked about how we found peace or how we were able to get to a point of being able to be still. So how did we get to a place where we could listen to God or the universe depending upon your belief? I stated that everyone has to start from a place of being quiet, correct? Correct. Mm-hmm. So what does it mean to be still or be quiet? And how did, how did you learn how to do it? Let's start there. How did you learn how to do it? Okay. You know, Gary, that goes way back from my old Bible days. You know, there was a verse in the Bible that, you know, Jesus said, go in your secret closet and uh, and pray in secret, and God will reward you openly. Always wonder, wow, praying in your secret closet. So, but for me, um, me getting still is just getting rid of all the distractions. No cell phone, no tv, no interruptions, and just, it's just me by myself. In a quiet place in my closet or wherever, you know? Right. And just being still, that to me is what, being quiet and being still means that's okay. And that's how I, how I quiet my, my mind. Um, I generally just try to clear my mind for like 10 seconds. 10 seconds. I try to clear my mind and think about nothing, which is hard to do because your mind is always racing. And then I try to do it another 10 seconds and then another 10 seconds until I'm able to string along, you know, a period of time. And it just reminds me of like, you know, you look at the, the, the, the sky and the sky has all these clouds, but eventually these clouds disappear, but the sky's still there. And it's the same way with us. Um, we're the sky and our thoughts are the clouds, but if you can just be still and be quiet. Eventually the thoughts will go away and you're still there. That's how I, that's how I generally practice on getting quiet and getting still. So I stated that everything has to start from a place of being quiet. All right, Gary? Yes, that's exactly what you said. And so I was just trying to understand, you know, for, for people that are listening, what does it mean and how do you get to that point? Yeah, yeah. And, and that's the way I do it. I, I just try to. Get quiet and not think about anything for, like I said, about 10 seconds and then another 10 seconds and another 10 seconds, and eventually those thoughts go away and that, that's just me personally. That's how I do it. Okay. Okay. So you asked the question. I. What does it mean to you, Gary? Okay. Remember mom said, yes, I remember. You be willing to answer it yourself. Okay. I remember. I remember. I have to learn from that. Right? Right. So what does it mean to you? How do you get to a point of still this before? Before I answer that question, let me ask you another question. I know it's impolite to answer a question with a question, but just with some clarity. Okay. Do you believe that being still is the same as meditating or is it different? And if so, what's the difference? Yeah. Okay. I think, uh. Being still is a part of meditating. But I think there's more to it than that because meditation can also include, you know, you going at a different sphere in life, a different, uh, uh, different, like I remember, I'm just, this is for the example when our mom who passed away a couple months ago, you know, her last two or three days, Gary, she was just so peaceful. Quiet. And I just knew she wasn't here. She was at another place. She was in another realm, you know? And to me, that's what meditation can do for us too. We can go into another realm and also, and also meditation is also you communication with that inner voice inside, which gives you wisdom. We all want that wisdom. So meditation is being quiet. Meditation can send you to another realm. Meditation can be just acquiring wisdom from that inner voice. Right? That's what I, I think that's what the difference is with just plain stillness and meditation. Okay. Okay. Okay. So back to you now, how do you get to the point of stillness? Okay. Well, you know, I, I have a hard time trying to make a distinction between the two because I think that, you know, meditation is being still mm-hmm. That's, that's what I think. Okay. And last week, you know, I talked about learning a technique to help relieve the migraine headaches that I was having. Right. And. Back then, you know, it was called biofeedback. Anyhow, it was this old engineer that taught me how to relax my mind so that I could be still, and I could focus on the headache. Mm-hmm. And the first thing he said, he said, Gary, I need you to picture the number one. Now. This was just his technique and I'm, I'm gonna go through that for our listeners today, since, you know, I think people. Maybe don't know how to get to that point, but this is just one technique. Anyhow, this, uh, old engineering, he said, I want you to picture the number one. It doesn't matter how you see the number one, uh, but picture the number one. And for me it was, I saw a big red number one. So that was the picture in my mind. And then he said, I want you to hang onto that image of the number one. Hang onto to that image. He told me, he said, you're gonna drift. And you're gonna think about other things. You're gonna think about the noise in the living room. You're gonna think about all that report that I forgot to to complete, or, oh, I forgot tomorrow is Cindy's birthday, and so on and so on. Mm-hmm. He said the most important thing is that you recognize that your mind is drifting, and then you bring your focus back to that number one, bring your focus back to that number one, it's hard. Yeah, but after a lot of practice, you know, you'll get to the point of only thinking about the number one and everything else fades away. It took me a few years to get to the point where I could go 10 to 15 minutes about thinking about the number one and not thinking about anything else. Mm-hmm. Okay. Now, when you are able to get to this point. It took me, you know, that long because I didn't practice it every evening. I didn't practice it every night. Now I do this every evening before, um, you know, going to bed and I don't have to think about the number one anymore. I know how to quiet my mind and not think about anything else. Mm-hmm. Okay. Now, as I said earlier, this is not the only way to steal your mind or, or to get to a point where, you know, you're not thinking about anything. But that's what worked for me. And so from this, I was able to control my headaches. Wow, that's, that's pretty good. You know, that focusing on something, I had always, uh, somebody once told me just to focus on a candle or something, which it, it was hard for me to do that. It worked for you with the letter up with the number one. Right. But it was just hard for me to focus on something like that. But it's, you know, you have to do what works for you. Right. That's absolutely right. So, yeah. Exactly. And it was able to control, you were able to control your headaches. So, uh, having said that, do you believe your mind can help you heal your body? Yeah, I do. And I know that, uh, a lot of people will say that, that's crazy, but think about this. Uh, what is stress? I'm asking you what is stress? What do you think stress is? Hmm. It's, it's, uh, yeah, you think about that. Well, I tell you what, I have my own definition of stress. But the strict definition is how your body responds to mental or emotional pressure. And, uh, we all know that stress can cause chemical changes in the body that leads to high blood pressure, increased heart rate, higher blood sugar levels, and a lot of other things. Too much stress can even be an underlying cause of death. That's correct. So all of the physical things that you just listed, you know, the high blood pressure, the increased heart rate. High blood sugar levels, those all were as a result of a mental or emotional state of the mind, a mental or emotional state of the mind that caused those physical conditions. So the mental and emotional state, they start in the mind. Would you agree with that? I do. And if your mind, I agree with that, is able to create those kinds of negative changes in the body. To me, it only makes sense that maybe your mind can create positive changes in your body. I, I agree with that. I, I've always been a believer in, uh, you know, if you're, it seems to me if you get quiet and focus on a part of your body that needs healing or something, I'm like you before you go to bed at night or whatever. I think your body can, uh, heal itself. I listen to a lot of meditation. Uh. Tapes and it says that, uh, if you tell your cells, cells, I need to work on this tonight. You did do this over a period of time and believe and have faith that it'll happen. The cells can heal your body. And it's not just one body part. It could be like, you know, like you said, to high blood pressure and all that other things too. But, uh, I do believe that, uh, you know. If you have enough faith, and you know what Jesus always said before He healed everybody. Do you believe I can do this? Ah, that's true. We did that every time he did. Do you, do you believe I can do this? Right? So you have to have that faith. And yes, I do believe if you have that faith, your body can, can heal itself, but you gotta really believe it and that, and that takes a lot of, lot of faith. Okay, now, you know, we've gotten way off track, but I think this is important. Um, last week and, you know, it just struck me, you were so adamant about being still in order to truly start your journey to living what we call this purposeful life. Mm-hmm. I don't believe that most people understand what it means or how to start Yeah. You know, what you're right. Or how much a, how much a part that the mind plays in being still and having a purposeful life. You know, what we've discussed is just the. Few ways of how to be still. I'm sure that, uh, there are many more other techniques to learn to quiet the mind. You name one, I've named one, and you are right. It's important to understand the importance of being still, but also how to achieve stillness in the mind. Right. Okay. Well, look, I don't think we really got to our main topic today and we're already, uh, you know, 14, 15 minutes in. Uh, but we will get to it in our next segment. Our next segment, we just finished this, this is the last episode in this four part series, but our next segment will be on the Divine Debate. Is there a God? Oh, okay. I like that. I, I think that's gonna be an interesting segment. I think so. You know, we were both raised in the same church, but I know that, uh, we might have some differences in how we think about God. So I'm, I'm really looking forward to that. I am too, so. It's time for our favorite part of the podcast. Like I said, I can't believe we've already 15 minutes into a discussion and we're trying to keep this, uh, down to 20, 25 minutes or so. Uh, we have a story from one of our listeners talking about a traumatic time in their lives and how they were able to find peace and get through the storms in their lives. Uh, can you read that story? Sure. Okay. This story comes from Jerry from Indiana and Jerry writes this. I committed a crime that forever changed my life and the life of a family. I was in a bad way, hooked on drugs with no family and no support. I was sentenced to time in prison and I thought that my life was over. And while in my prison cell, I discovered an unexpected sanctuary. My spiritual faith. As I wrestled with the weight of my actions and their consequences, prayer became my only hope. Through P Prayer, I found a connection to a higher power that was bigger than the bars that confined me. This connection shined a light on the darkest corners of my soul. My faith taught me that even in the midst of a profound suffering, there's always a path to redemption. As I got deeper into my spiritual journey, I began to see my conviction, not merely as a punishment, but as an opportunity for personal growth. My faith provided me with the clarity to understand that this chapter was part of a larger plan for my life. It taught me the power of acceptance, not only of my circumstances, but also of my own humanity, except in my past mistakes. Embracing my vulner vulnerability were different steps in my path to healing. I studied and obtained a college degree. I, I began a prison ministry to help others that were in similar situations. It became my mission to help as many people as possible. The support of my spiritual community within the prison walls was instrumental during this time, surrounded by individuals who shared my faith. I found a sense of belonging and solidarity. Their passion and encouragement lifted me when I was too weak to stand on my own. Together we shed stories of resilience and hope, creating a network of support that fortified my spirit and renewed my belief in a brighter future I have. It has been eight years since I was released from prison. My spiritual faith changed my perception of my imprisonment, but once seemed like a lifetime of punishment. Became a testament to my capacity for change. My faith taught me to trust in the journey, to embrace the lessons within the pain, and to believe in the promise of redemption. Through this experience, I have emerge stronger, more compassionate, and deeply connected to God. Wow. Yeah. Great story. Yeah. Thank you Jerry, for sending your story. You know, we hope that, uh, you have found some peace and purpose in your life. We believe that uh, your lived life experience is someone's playbook for dealing with the storms in their lives. Jerry, your story will help someone to find the strength to deal with the storms in their lives. Thank you, Jerry. So this will close our podcast for today. Uh, thank you for joining us today and C The Soul. Uh, join us next week for our. Next series. Is there a God? That's gonna be so interesting. It's there a God. Yeah, I'm, I'm looking forward to it. Well, we hope that this podcast today, we hope that it sparks some new thoughts about the purpose of life. And if you would like to send us some questions for discussion. Or if you would like to send you a story, please email us. Email us to this CDU Soul 4 4 4 gmail.com. It's CDU Soul four four gmail.com. C-I-C-I-R-Q-U-E-D-U-S-O-U-L 4 4 4 gmail.com. If you found value in today's episode, please share it with somebody who might benefit from it. Don't forget to like and subscribe so you don't miss any future episode. And remember, your spiritual journey is uniquely yours. It is your journey, but you are never alone. Like Jerry, there are others to walk with you. So please take care of yourself. Be kind to yourself. And be kind to the world around you. And until the next time, have a great day in paradise And drop my, I my until you make way. I'm gonna drop my, my. In the end, I'll wait and drop my sit and wait. I'm gonna my way one on minute until you make a way. I'm going drop my anger, my rest in here and maybe talk right now. Yeah. Yeah, and nothing catches God by surprise.