Linger Longer in Stillness

Increase your meditation this week.

If you usually meditate for 5 minutes, try 10.

If you usually meditate for an hour,
try to find a day this week when you can go to 2 hours.

It is not as hard as it sounds, you just have to be willing.

Stillness Practice with the Squirrel

A couple of weeks ago I was outside for a little bit of "stillness practice"
- OK, I confess, I way resting in my hammock!

And a squirrel approached me from the nearby pine tree and began a series of sharp piercing shrieks at me. Clearly intending to frighten me from being too close to it's lair.

But I had finally arrived at a state of bliss because I had been watching the empty hammock for ages - longing to lounge. As far as I was concerned, the squirrel was just going to have to settle down until I had my rest (or at least until the kids discovered where I was.)

So I called out to the squirrel - in the privacy of my own backyard, of course - and said, "Hey there little one, settle down. I won't be here for long."

Now, one does not think of squirrels as the "settle-down" sort of creature. They scurry. And bustle. And scuttle. And jump and rush and hurry. And Twitch. Oh, how those fluffy tails Twitch.

Not the poster animal for a meditation practice.

BUT...this one stopped moving. And settled down. Not a single twitch or swish of the tail. No bustle, scuttle, rush and hurry. No jumping and not a sound.

It just curled up on the branch next to me and for 20 minutes remained in Complete Stillness.

And I, of course, being in a hammock, also for the next 20 minutes remained in Complete Stillness.

And together we enjoyed a lovely morning "stillness practice."

So if the squirrel can can sit still for 20 minutes......give it a try.

:)

Enjoy.