The Power of Stillness

Whilst in an important meeting this week, our host used one word in our conversation on two or three occasions – meditation.

It was used in the context of deep consideration about an important decision to be made.

Meditate – “to engage in contemplation and reflection”.

I’ve learned that you don’t have to sit cross-legged on the floor to meditate, there are indeed lots of ways to engage in the practice.

Meditation is something that just doesn’t happen, it takes some practice, discipline and you need to work at it too.

It’s about finding a time to slow down, gather your thoughts and examine your life in order to find a much healthier sense of perspective.

I love this definition by David O. McKay who described it as “the language of the soul. It is defined as ‘a form of private devotion, or spiritual exercise, consisting in deep, continued reflection on some religious theme.’ Meditation is a form of prayer.”

Amongst all of our preparations for that important meeting, in the last few minutes prior to the appointment, my colleague and I found an out of the way bus stop to sit, reflect and further consider the challenge at hand.

In our contemplative discussions one meditative moment led us to offer a thoughtful prayer of hope together.

In the book of Psalms (46:10) we learn about the practice of being “still”.

Together, we were still.

That moment of stillness didn’t change the facts on the ground, but it changed us.

We walked into that meeting hopeful, with clearer heads, steadier hearts, and a sense of quiet confidence.

Meditation doesn’t always look like silence in a candlelit room, it can happen on a noisy street, at a weathered bus stop, or in a shared pause before a decision.

What matters is that we make room for it.

Stillness is a strength.

And sometimes, the most powerful move we can make is simply to stop, breathe, and listen, both to ourselves and to something much greater.

In the rush of your day, what are you not hearing?