Meaning of "Be Still"

Greetings..

Originally Posted by Uma

We can also act from that place of stillness
because we live in a story, like it or not, TzuLi
What's the point of being in a human body if you're just going to live in a neutral place and do nothing.
We are here to act in this world.

Hi Uma: We 'live in a choice', Uma.. you choose to live in a story, and you choose to tell me i do, too.. sometimes i do, sometimes i don't, and i choose which and when..

Please don't mistake a "neutral place" as 'doing nothing', much more 'actually' happens from the neutral place.. 'stories' are just circular references that trap you in their beliefs..

Be well..

[blackraven]

Originally Posted by njbr1111

My instructions from spirit at this point in my life are to "be still"

What does it mean exactly to be still .... I know this isn't necessarily a black or white answer ... or the answer may be different for different people, but I'm curious as to what everyone thinks "being still" might mean.

njbr1111 - “Be Still” to me means to stop the mind from internal chatter and to fine tune it’s awareness to the voice of higher consciousness. By that I mean to listen past the static of cluttered noise that is frivolous and keen in on the higher voice of the cosmos, a spirit guide, nature or the voice of God. The flow of information to us in this “still” state is in a pure, untainted form. “Be Still and know…”

Blackraven

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by TzuJanLi

Greetings..

The 'question arises' for some, and not for others.. some already know, some have no need to "turn the listening and seeing back on oneself".. that is a self-referential feedback loop that can create the misinformation about separation..

Be well..

I agree. If it's a question then we most likely will create an answer. Now if the question comes up while listening and seeing, then thats another thing. What this one notices is what Krishnamurti refers to and that is the seperation between observer and observed is not there. The observer and the observed is replaced by observing........but the key is to not get caught up in that IMO. And the way to do that is get back to listening and seeing.

[Gem]

I'm agreeing with the principles being made.

I just put forward a simple theory. What we deal with is reactivity, and a highly reactive mind is not 'still'. A calm and relaxed mind is 'still'.

When things happen we feel something, and we know if the feeling is pleasurable or unpleasant... and the agitated mind is always reacting personally.

The quiet mind knows 'this feeling is changing momentarily'. It's not taken so personally so there isn't such a big reaction. No reaction is same as 'still'

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by Gem

I'm agreeing with the principles being made.

I just put forward a simple theory. What we deal with is reactivity, and a highly reactive mind is not 'still'. A calm and relaxed mind is 'still'.

When things happen we feel something, and we know if the feeling is pleasurable or unpleasant... and the agitated mind is always reacting personally.

The quiet mind knows 'this feeling is changing momentarily'. It's not taken so personally so there isn't such a big reaction. No reaction is same as 'still'

I hesitate to ask, because I am really trying not to overthink this, but it seems to me that feeling and the mind go together. Feeling is a reaction. No reaction implies no feeling to me.
Personally, I think the word 'still' doesn't fit in any of this. We don't know what to call the mind that is not conditioned but we do know what it is to be conditioned.
In other words, a quiet mind would not label itself 'still'. It wouldn't even notice IMO.
In any case I interpret your post as saying a quiet mind reacts differently than it use to and I agree.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by WhiteShaman

I hesitate to ask, because I am really trying not to overthink this, but it seems to me that feeling and the mind go together. Feeling is a reaction. No reaction implies no feeling to me.
Personally, I think the word 'still' doesn't fit in any of this. We don't knw what to call the mind that is not conditioned but we do know what it is to be conditioned.
In other words, a quiet mind would not label itself 'still'. It wouldn't even notice IMO.
In any case I interpret your post as saying a quiet mind reacts differently than it use to and I agree.

Everything that happens has a certain feel to it and if the feeling is taken really personally, 'I' make a huge reaction, but if the feeling is just as it is, and 'I' know it momentarily, then there remains a balanced equalibruim, and the mind just stays 'still'.

We do prefer the pleasure to un[pleasantry, and removing preferance is not really possible, but both the pleasant and unpleasant are considered equal by virtue of their impermanance.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by Gem

Everything that happens has a certain feel to it and if the feeling is taken really personally, 'I' make a huge reaction, but if the feeling is just as it is, and 'I' know it momentarily, then there remains a balanced equalibruim, and the mind just stays 'still'.

We do prefer the pleasure to un[pleasantry, and removing preferance is not really possible, but both the pleasant and unpleasant are considered equal by virtue of their impermanance.

Nice..............

[BlueSky]

Something I've noticed:

Listening and seeing cannot be practiced while avoiding the noise within for me. It cannot be a way to quiet my mind done by avoiding the noise of my mind. It cannot happen by attempting to put my attention elsewhere, such as toward listening and seeing itself.
If in listening and seeing, I hear and see noise in my mind, and as a result, listen and see what the noise is, put my attention there, I find that it brings understanding that quiets my mind further.
It brings to light the ungrounded fears associated with my thinking. (ie: 'does a quiet mind feel?', 'does it feel joy?',' Is it lonely?'
These fears when faced are ungrounded and that is a personal journey for me. Putting my attention to them as they arise helps to stop them.

It's like you are sitting there wiggling your toe and someone points it out to you and it stops. It stops because your attention is on it.

Anyways, just wanted to share this.................maybe it will help some else who has a noisy mind.
James

It means to be in the present. Stop thinking and worrying about the past or what might come in the future. By "being still" you are aware of what is and more open and able to receive information/answers.

[Emmalevine]

Originally Posted by merrie

"Be Still and know that I am God" psalm 46.10

I take that to be to quit striving and become quiet in mind, to become the observer of what is real.

Merrie

I keep hearing/seeing this quote lately.

I think 'be still' means be with yourself, look within and find spirit.