Stilling the Turbulent Soul

I have found that more doesn’t equal better.  In our noisy, constantly connected, advancement addicted society, it’s our souls that are suffering.  The world is constantly attacking the sanctuary of self with advertisements, attention requests and offerings of distractions to numb the panic resonating deep in our existence.  Technology is slithering into every corner of our daily lives stealing the precious present moment and robbing us of our unique, differentiated identity.  We are becoming more the herd and less the sheep, making us more prone to the howl of the wolf and the false protection of idol-driven lions.  Now more than ever, humans must find a way to stroll leisurely in the gardens of the soul in order to find rest and wisdom in the soothing spiritual waters offered by silence, solitude and stillness.  We must find a way back to the quiet place deep within us that is the true sanctuary of Self and the knower of truth.

For almost a decade I was addicted to the hustle and bustle of reputation and success until I finally came to a time of complete exhaustion.  With nothing left to give and no drive to build more, surrender and retreat became the only viable option.  With resistance and hesitation I struggled to let go of activity in order to slowly comprehend the depth of peace possible by following the way of the mystics of years past.  I discovered the yearning of my mind and spirit for rest and recuperation.  I found myself getting lost in the hours of leisure, allowing the world to spin in chaotic machinations.  It seemed that month by month my body was slowly decompressing from the years of deadlines and performance targets and as I lay in silence and stillness, I began watching the chaos that was also at play in my inner world.  I found that the chaos that lay inside my existence mirrored the chaos as much as outside.  I wondered if I had somehow needed the noise of the world to silence the suffering I was feeling.  After retreating I found that, indeed, all the exterior stressors were connected to parts of me that needed healing.

As I have continued my daily practice of stillness found in solitude and silence, I have unearthed the soul gremlins crawling around in the dark, wet corners of my psyche.  I have methodically brought those demons into the light and allowed them to become integrated into my conscious awareness and this has been the key to quieting my mind and spirit.  The quietness has led to a deeper connection with the core truths of who I am and what I value.  This in turn has been paramount in helping me discover a compass that guides me in my days and leads me more and more into the abundant living we were all built for.