In his book the Art of Stillness, travel writer Pico Iyer describes his journey to attempt to understand the attraction and power of choosing to be still.
One of the people who helped Iyer was Leonard Cohen, who at the time was a monk living on the top of Mt. Baldy in California. A significant part of the day for Cohen was sitting still and quieting his mind.
In talking with Cohen, Iyer learned how, “Going nowhere, as Cohen described it, was the grand adventure that makes sense of everywhere else.”
What Cohen explained was he faced the “emptiness of his own existence” by going inward instead of outside.
For years Cohen had tried “outside,” touring as a famous musician, drinking, and leaving frayed relationships around the world. But sitting still enabled him to listen to, observe, and engage with his thoughts, which were fascinating if viewed from a distance and objectively. These thoughts then slowly provided insights into who he was as a person and what he needed to work on. Sitting still, in other words, provided focus and clarity.
I have to confess I have never been fond of the word meditating. I’m not sure why. Perhaps because in an irrational way I hear the word medical or medicine in it. But I am drawn to the idea and image of being still.
I wonder if it would help to call it “stilling” instead of “meditating.” That during the day we find time to do some “stilling,” 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and during that time intentionally pay attention to what’s inside instead of what is outside.
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