“It has been said: “Stillness is the language God speaks, and everything else is a bad translation.” Stillness is really another word for space. Becoming conscious of stillness whenever we encounter it in our lives will connect us with the formless and timeless dimension within ourselves, that which is beyond thought, beyond ego. It may be the stillness that pervades the world of nature, or the stillness in your room in the early hours of the morning, or the silent gaps in between sounds. Stillness has no form — that is why through thinking we cannot become aware of it. Thought is form. Being aware of stillness means to be still. To be still is to be conscious without thought. You are never more essentially, more deeply, yourself than when you are still.”
~ Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth
The practice of stillness is prevalent throughout the Bikram Yoga class. Think of it:
1. The goal with each posture is to move into the deepest expression your body can manage and hold in complete stillness.
2. Between postures we strive for stillness.
3. The teacher’s constant instruction shifts your focus to listening and doing — not thinking.
But, my friend, how do you practice stillness in the rest of your life?