Pleasure of a Still Mind

There is a particular pleasure that comes from a still mind. It is not a forced quiet or a perfect state. It happens when I return to myself and remember who I am. I remember I am rooted, present, and free. This is one of the most reliable sources of strength and joy in my life.

Over many years of practice, I have come to appreciate the clarity and resilience that deepen as I know myself well. I recognize what is happening in my nervous system, and I am no longer swept up as easily by catastrophic thinking or the inner critic. I can sense nervous system activation sooner and know how to come back into steadiness and regulation.

Somatic mindfulness helps me integrate body, mind, and awareness. I access intuition. I have strength and weakness in both body and mind. I am always in relationship with life around me.

Kaivalya is blessed aloneness. There is a deep joy in knowing inner peace is always present, even when daily life is challenging and I temporarily lose sight of it. I know my true self as ever pure, ever wise, and ever free.

Staying Steady When Life is Uncertain

There are times when life arrives with storms and high winds. I do not know what will happen. I may not like what is happening. In these moments, I return to the ground beneath my feet. I sense the earth holding me. I let myself imagine the steady roots of a fir or the flexible strength of a willow.

I practice allowing life to be what it is. It is such a basic step to acknowledge that our experiences in life are not in our control yet we hold on. It helps to notice resistance and practice letting go of the need to predict or control. In truth, I trust myself to meet what comes with presence. This simple grounding begins to shift everything.

Meeting Fear Without Letting It Steer

Look back at times when life was unpredictable, whether wanted or unwelcome. Somehow you managed, even when it was difficult. Remembering this helps us reconnect with our capacity. Our nervous system hates uncertainty, yet somehow we have managed.

When you notice fear, allow it to be present without giving it control. Observe the mind’s urge to hold on tightly. Sense where that urgency shows up in your body. Stay curious. Witness thoughts as they arise. It is not fair to shame ourselves for the way our system tries to protect us. It is human to want happiness, to avoid pain, and to seek a sense of certainty.

Naming these patterns with compassion opens us to presence, soft and spacious awareness, and trust.

Coming Home to the Body

Our body is the home we have in this life. Every return to breath helps us anchor in the present moment. Awareness softens fear. When we witness it, our perspective shifts. We remember we can trust ourselves to respond to life.

In quiet moments, sense into the natural spaciousness of presence. Breath, body, and awareness are one movement of life rather than separate parts. The boundary between ourselves and the space around us becomes permeable. This is where strength and joy naturally arise. This is where we feel most connected to ourselves and to love.

As our heart softens, we remember we can trust ourselves to move through life with clarity and resilience. Strength is not rigid. Joy is not fragile. Both arise through a deep relationship with the present moment.

Strength and Joy as Daily Resources

Every day offers small opportunities to reconnect with the pleasure of a still mind. We step outside, notice the air on our skin, and breathe. We cultivate moments of quiet and noticing all of who we are, as we first awaken, during the day, and as we drift into sleep. Simple awareness practices resource us in ways that accumulate over time.

The more we settle into ourselves, the more generously we can meet the world.

May we all find our way to inner peace. May strength and joy continue to be the ground we stand on. May our presence ripple out into the world in ways that support peace and connection.

Join our 10 hour online silence retreat Saturday December 6th. Details and schedule here.

Join our Sunday free community class to explore and practice together.