Stillness: Study 1
December. In my part of the world, this word connotes a slowing down in nature. With the shorter days and longer nights, there is a tendency towards stillness. It’s so easy to lose sight of this natural happening when many people—me included—are hustling and bustling along—zooming here and there in motorcars, moving from shop to shop, grocery to grocery, one event to the other.
Today, in the flow of it all, I find stillness and surrender.
I breathe and prepare to be still. I breath again, and I am still. Still in the mind. Still in the body—at one with the deep stillness of Earth. A state of in-action. I feel, observe, and embody stillness. And I move - and when I move - I move From the stillness and in the stillness - the stillness I have cultivated within.
Making a Connection Through Art Journaling
Here’s a short video showing you some of the ways that I cultivate stillness. One way is by getting into nature. Walking in the woods and meadows and near natural waterways, the soul settles into a natural state of peace. In the movement with breath and observation and release, the stillness grows. And another way is through art journaling. Each day, I set aside time to get my thoughts together through writing and planning and organizing, but I also take the time to create and in the flow, loose myself to the process. I’ve recently discovered that I enjoy making mandalas. I love the meditative state the process of working design the circle inspires. So, for a December spin on this, I will be inking snowflakes inspired by mandalas and the snowflake photographer WA Bentley. I have carefully selected the music too to celebrate the winter season and cultivate a stillness within. Perhaps by watching, you too will settle into a stillness - finding peace in the flow.
At the end of the month, I will have created a playlist that can be accessed at my YouTube channel. The mantras and the music will flow from one to the next promoting calm and relaxation. I hope you will join with me each day to draw and to journal and to take a breath and tap into to the stillness within - but also, at the end of the month, to enjoy this winter collection in full.
“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.”
Blessings
Thank you for joining me today. Please leave a comment below; I would love to hear from you. If you are drawing snowflakes with me, please leave pictures in the comments or post them on Instagram and #themustardseednews so I can be sure to see them. Sending you love and light ~ Peace for now ~
December Reading List
Silence: The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise by Thich Nhat Hanh
Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle
Too Deep for Words by Thelma Hall
Snow Crystals (Dover Pictorial Archive) by W.A. Bentley
“Be Still”
Today I am thankful for the stillness I can find even in the midst of everything around me.