Issue of the Week

I have received the inspiration to address an Issue of the Week, then select the flower essence(s) that can help us work with it.

The word for this week, June 30, 2008 – July 6, 2008 is STILLNESS

As I thought about it, I realized that one of the “imbalances” of the modern world is our inability to be still. People spend hours in front of T.V. "Couch potato-hood" is common. But that is not Stillness. In fact, it is avoiding Stillness. It is another way to fill the space that we so fear. We fear it because we have been trained by our culture to see it as “nothingness” therefore, “non-existence” which we equate with death and therefore "bad".

All the religions say that only in Stillness can we approach, hear, feel or sense God. If we are full of chatter, we cannot know God, because it is like static. There is no room for anything else. Our culture teaches us that chatter is good. The more the better. All the electronic devices we have so that we can stay connected 24/7. People walk down the street with cell phones glued to their ears talking to disembodied voices, but never looking at the people right in front of them. We are actually becoming more isolated, because we are staying within our circle of security – the people on our phone list, rather than interacting with ‘strangers’ who could become our next best friend.

This is an addiction. We all have it in some form. I have been getting into this blog thing very heavily lately. My observation is that it is highly addictive. I know I am losing my balance, because even though I am tired, I can’t sleep at night and when I do fall asleep, my dreams are chaotic. I feel agitated all the time and I am extremely impatient. I can’t wait to get back online and ‘networking’. I cannot read, let alone meditate. I have lost the stillness. Thankfully, I have a garden. When I go out there, I am put right back in my body and can feel my healing connection to the earth.

I believe that my years of spiritual practice and meditation are helping me to see what is happening and I am grateful for that. It is not about stopping blogging or anything like that. It is about balance. “All things in moderation.” Knowing when to take a break and go outside.

STILLNESS

Desert Alchemy had several essences for working with this issue. I found it interesting that two of them are my favorites and the ones that convinced me that this was an important part of my path.

Each addresses different aspects of Stillness. Here is what resonated with me. For a fuller description of each essence and its properties, see The Alchemy of the Desert, by Cynthia Athina Kemp Scherer.

Queen of the Night Cactus

Candy Barrel Cactus

For more information about these and the other essences in the Desert Alchemy Repertoire check out the website: www.desert-alchemy.com or the book: The Alchemy of the Desert.