STILLNESS & STABILITY Medicines from With-In

My greatest interest in this life is to continue to understand what connects us and what separates us, from a personal experiential perspective, from my observation of my outside world and from my inter-personal relations. I also study history, how and why it repeats itself, Cultural Traditions and Lineages of Higher Learning, all in hopes of a deeper understanding of the Human condition and our many expressions of it.

Both historically and in contemporary times, traditions and lineages seem to recognize that we tend to over-look the tools, gifts and qualities we were given at birth (pre-birth intelligence), in favor of, , the teachings, activities and distractions of our post-birth experience. In other words, what is happening outside of us is not understood as to how it relates to our inside feelings and reflections. Perhaps one of the greatest mis-conceptions of Human experience...It has always been known that to see ourselves, it is necessary to have that Inner connection to what we feel, the ability to reflect inwardly and measure what we feel, with what is happening...as the MOST accurate measure that is beyond thinking and thought. Injury and interruption to this inside/outside relationship is often not acknowledged and the process itself is, in most cases, blocked.

To balance our mind/body/spirit and our perceptions on the inside with our understanding of what is going on outside of us at any given moment, takes a certain type of skill that is like a light being turned on in a dark room. Very simply, Stillness provides reflection, provides calm, provides clarity and allows a deeper relationship with:

• connection to dis-connected parts of ourselves
• alignment where confusion/distraction cause separation
• balance returned, where imbalance has reigned
• over-all stability that can adapt to challenges

Connection, Alignment and Balance or “C.A.B.” are aspects of the general quality of Stability and stability is a mutable quality reflected in both Stillness and Motion in our daily lives. Often, when we are able to see lacking or short-coming in our Human qualities, we focus on the imbalances and may not realize we that it is also the process of change that eludes us; how to help ourselves is also unknown.

Stability of the mind at the most basic level, is a relationship of harmony and ease that is expressed in a complete agreement with the many aspects of self. What interferes “stands out”, what we do with it, determines our progress and fruition of change. Internal discrepancies must find harmony or sabotage/failure occurs.

Some qualities recognized:

• Fluid Learning process; on-going and evolving
• beliefs/morals
• personal values/social conduct
• thoughts and feelings that affect our inner environment

Stability of the Body is expressed in Physical form through:

• Health and Healing; recovery, maintenance and growth
• Physical Capacity; strength, agility, coordination, power
• Endurance and Adaptability

Some of the forms of Stability of the Spirit can be seen through:

• the eyes; window of the Spirit
• extended states of calm and relaxation; Spirit resides in the nervous system
• courage to face unknowns
• the will and follow through behaviors
• Giving and service

Stability is a by-product of common sense, self care and the ability to replenish and regenerate what is needed and used up regularly. The reference to “regular” is the ability to regulate:

• eat before blood sugar drops, real whole foods, not too much (sleepy), not to little (weakness)
• Sleep means restful; unburdened. Amount in accordance to need, not recreational sleeping
• Stay warm when it's cold, cool when it's hot thus maintaining good circulations

Stability maintains a functional relationship with Stillness. Higher Consciousness Learning teaches us how to include and create harmony with our developing Human qualities. Some of the ways Stability and Stillness join can be seen in:
 

Balance:

• Mental activity needs to be balanced by rest or inactive states; meditation, prayer, non-thinking, empty mind, being not doing states etc.
• The senses need to rest, not always searching for feeling, with-out burden to the heart or emotional states, moods or extended attitudes.
• The body needs Stillness to be receptive, to build momentum towards activity, to balance the layers of activity in the mind/body spirit; thought, impulse, action, development
• The bodily systems need activity, lack of it allows stagnation, systemic weakness and circulation problems.

Openness:

This can be a stable state of being that can span the range of thought, feeling and activity (movements associated with Life Force) and utilize the receptive state of Stillness to continually regenerate:

• from with-in
• from inter-actions with others
• from the multitude of shared environments in a functional and graceful way.

Stillness calms and brings clarity to regulate the nervous system; the physical home and relay system of the spirit. Practices that slow us down allow for cultivation of Mindfulness (not just a Buddhist concept). The maturation of such qualities as Familiarity, Remembering and Stick-toativeness are basic to self cultivation and Higher learning from with-in. Stillness and the cultivation of a reflective nature allows inner feelings to find cohesion with outer situations; for calm to exist during chaotic circumstances and to take the time to feel our inner truth and choose responses over reactions.

In short, Stillness distills and blends with Stability to form a type of “Internal Medicine”, and can be applied to any/all imbalances, unravel past traumas, face difficulties or just allow us to feel our way through life's unknown challenges... The practice of Stability and Stillness belongs to the Life Change Art and formal teachings/ practice of Tai Chi/Chi Gung. Transformation Arts openly invites any and all who wish to attend our new classes scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the Agile Healing Arts Center on “A” St. in Ashland. Current students may attend for a donation, drop-in for new practioners-$10 a class, monthly cost-$50. I f you would like to attend and find finances to be an issue, please use the contact form on this site to speak to an instructor.

Michael
708-1050