Slow down to speed up. It sounds paradoxical. But this is a message I give the vast majority of my clients, especially when they are first starting to work with me. This is confusing for them, since often, the very reason they start working with me is because they are feeling stuck and like they are supposed to be doing more with their life.
So it makes sense that my clients would want to know what else they need to do. They wonder if they need more training or if they need to update resumes. Or perhaps attend workshops, or seminars. None of these are bad things, of course, and might very well be something that they will be guided to do.
But the most essential thing, the one thing that will propel them the furthest is to start creating stillness in their life. And to start creating that stillness now, not when their life is different.
This is a simple, but not easy, thing to do.
It’s hard because our society still values busyness and multitasking over stillness and silence.
And it’s hard because, as much as we might crave stillness, we’re often scared of what might come up if we slow down enough to feel our feelings.
Finally, it’s hard because it can feel selfish and self-indulgent to create stillness in your life when so many people depend on you, and when the world needs so much help.
But the truth is that it is only through stillness that you will her your Soul’s guidance. And it is only your Soul that knows the unique way you are supposed to serve others.
Stillness doesn’t have to be meditation per se. It can be mindful walking. It can be sitting in nature. It can be breathing mindfully. In my book, Answering Your Inner Calling, I call these moments of stillness, “Interrupter Rituals” (see Answering Your Inner Calling, chapter 2) because these moments of re-connecting to your Soul interrupt the sense of running on automatic pilot that can often take over your days.
My favorite “Interrupter Ritual” is to pause at various points throughout the day, and bring the palms of my hands over my heart, as I set the intention of just receiving from my Soul. During these moments I might be literally repeating to myself, “I am receiving from my Soul”.
This is simple and can take a mere minute. But it is a radical act.
There are times when I do this and I feel expansive and loving. At other times, I have to grudgingly force myself to do my “Interrupter Ritual”, because frankly I’d rather be getting more things crossed off my list.
But every time I stop and reconnect with my Soul, my resistance to slowing down softens, and my discipline (as in being a disciple to my Soul) strengthens.
Even if in that moment I don’t feel a great shift, I know that I am creating momentum.
Furthermore, I know that in slowing down I am actually greatly speeding up my spiritual evolution.
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Follow-up
If this blog resonated with you I invite you to create some sacred alone time so you can ask your Soul the following questions. The important thing is to ask these questions with a genuine desire to receive the answer, without worrying about getting the answers right now. Trust that the answers will come to you in the perfect way and at the perfect time. Before you begin bring the palms of your hands to your heart, which is the entry way to your Soul and then ask.
1. What am I afraid will happen if I bring more stillness into my life?
2. What can I release that will bring more stillness into my life?
3. What can I embrace to bring more stillness into my life?
4. What is a simple step I can take right now to bring more stillness into my life?
Listen to audio version of the follow-up below