”Why sit in meditation? I don’t know except that a part of us has to. We don’t sit because it is holy, or because it is good for us, or to impress people. We sit because we love it and hate it and because we must. We have to for our sanity, our deep sanity. We sit because this is when we discover how things really are, who we really are. Meditation is a source of vitality for our essence; it gives us source and ground, and opens us to the light.
Sit like an old frog in the river, softly quiet and immobile, hunkered down on the smooth surface. Do not force immobility. Sit just to be sitting, to be still for a while, to catch your breath. And when you need to flash your tongue to catch a fly, do so. Action will come from that space of alert deep stillness that does not preclude action, but rather prepares you for effective action. Meditation is a natural human ability, similar to imagination, concentration and creativity — not so much something that has to be learned as something that can be remembered.”
Quote from The Heart of Listening by Hugh Milne
Why sit still?
There are so many reasons to be still and quiet and so many excuses why we don’t do it.
My back hurts.
I don’t have time.
It’s boring.
I get distracted t0o easily.
I don’t like it…
The list goes on.
Truth is, the research on the benefits of presence, mindfulness and concentration as a tool to enhance sleep, reduce stress and increase productivity is growing by the day.
And, as a tool for self-improvement, these reasons alone can be a great inspiration and motivation to begin exploring the uncomfortable reality of stillness (in a world that never stops moving) and quiet (which often highlights the volume and complexity of our inner landscape) in the form of a daily meditation practice.
In the same breath, some other reasons we may be intrigued to slow down and sit are:
Sitting still can be a resource for observing a landscape, listening to our bodies and opening ourselves to creativity yet uncovered.
Perhaps simply sitting together could allow us to share an experience of our collective which might encourage kindness rather than judgement and being rather than doing.
What about the possibility that sitting still could be a social movement to create connection, intimacy and a collective resilience for all that is unfolding in this world?
For generations across cultures, people have come together for contemplative practices as a place to be with the questions more than the answers and as a tool for feeling less alone in this complicated world.
The specifics of doing a particular technique correctly are much less important than shifting our neurochemistry to a place that is open, listening and inquisitive.
Rather than using the term meditation, which may limit us by creating expectations, one of my teachers says, “Let’s simply sit.” That’s all. Simply sitting. Try it for five minutes, and see how it goes.
The emerging neuroscience suggests that being together in these quiet states of mind is more powerful than being there alone. Together we create an accountability that supports us to show up and drop into the inner landscape.
My intention for creating the Squamish Community Meditation group is to encourage a way of being in community that is connected, calm and accessible for all. There are some techniques shared and also time for silence and simply sitting together with the touch of our body on solid ground and the air all around us.
Join us any Thursday this summer. The bell rings at 7:30 pm at University Park (below Quest and above the Highlands just off The Crescent).
Bring something comfortable to sit on (chairs, cushions, pillows welcome) and also feel free to lie down.
All levels of experience are welcome and celebrated.
For more information, time and venue changes in the fall check out the Squamish Community Meditation facebook page or follow me at @the_art_of_yoga on Instagram.
Sarah Manwaring Everett is a mother and children’s counsellor with 15 years experience sharing yoga and meditation across BC.
