This month I pressed pause on my chaotic life and ventured 1,700 miles away from home to complete my yoga certification in Fort Collins, Colorado. However, I left Colorado with more than just a certification. I could write a book (and maybe one day I will) about my experiences and the information I gathered throughout the month. I studied alongside 12 other yogis and went into depth on topics such as mindfulness and connectedness. One topic that captured my attention was the idea of stillness. The thought of not being consistently on-the-go felt foreign to me. I never gave stillness much attention because just the idea of doing nothing made me somewhat uncomfortable. However, after hearing the word “stillness” mentioned in several conversations, I decided my time would be well-spent reflecting on this unsettling feeling that emerged whenever I thought about incorporating stillness into my life. I wondered why stillness seemed so unappealing to me even though it is heavily encouraged for a practicing yogi.

I reflected on my tendency to seek out the next best adventure, sometimes even before I am finished with my current adventure. Looking forward to something fuels excitement I can sense throughout my body, and this satisfaction motivates me to stay in constant search of what is happening next. So, predictably, I felt an immediate sense of discomfort when I decided to work towards stillness instead of the next best adventure.

I did not begin practicing stillness by purposefully setting aside time to allow my body to stay still. I started working towards stillness when I found myself unoccupied. Rather than relying on my habit of looking for a way to become occupied, I sat down and tried to soak in the moment. Initially I felt bored and unproductive. However, I took advice from the people around me and continued to work on sitting in stillness. Eventually I started to notice that with the ability to sit still came an undeniably peaceful sense of contentment. After a couple weeks I found myself wanting to purposefully set aside time to be still, something I never thought I would willingly desire. I started to feel okay with just being; I started to feel more content with myself.

Stillness is heavily encouraged for a practicing yogi because it provides a sacred space to be introspective and aware. Being still does not equate to being unproductive. Engaging in stillness helps create calmness that rejuvenates the mind and body to lead a more mindful, loving, and connected life. Stillness is a wondrous practice for anyone striving towards contentment. After this month of growth, my hope is to continue exercising stillness daily as I travel back home.