December 27

The polarity of Movement and Stillness brings us to our experience of action.

Our souls have three functions – thinking, feeling and willing.  During the Twelve Holy Nights we work to renew our thinking, rebalance our feeling and restore our willing. Willing is the soul impulse that proceeds all action.  As we explore the polarity of Activity – movement and stillness – we are bringing more awareness to our will.

I have written in my brief Inner Christmas Bio, about the profound and wonderful influence of Rudolf Steiner on my life and work.  Dr. Steiner designed the curriculum and pedagogy of Waldorf education.  Both my children went to the Waldorf School of Princeton. Through being a Waldorf mom, I learn most of the fundamental foundation of what I share in the Inner Christmas Messages.  Waldorf reveres the child and her developing functions of the Head (Thinking), the Heart (Feeling) and the Hand (Willing).

Becoming aware of movement and stillness in our thinking, feeling and willing will (!) awaken a new power in our lives.  It will give us the power to manage our motives and our activities.

Stillness holds more mystery for me.  Stillness is more primal than movement.  Stillness is the source of movement, not just its other pole. Absolute stillness holds the potential for infinite movement.

Stillness is the absence of personal rhythm ... and the presence of harmonic resonance with the Spirit. You are empty of your own motives and filled with the Universe. Many individuals spend lifetimes of meditation seeking this stillness. Others are blessed with moments of stillness without any intention or anticipation.

Healthy, beautiful movement is supported by the alternation of personal rhythms with cosmic rhythms. This is most visible in great dancers and great athletes.  They are so unique and so universal in their movements. Some spend lifetimes in movement development and others find it in a momentary surprise.

We need awareness of rhythm as we come to recognize the polarity of stillness and movement. It is very difficult to be still and not move when you hear and feel a strong beat. Conversely, stillness is easier - and movement more difficult - when there is no demanding beat.

Habitual movement is dead movement for with habitual movement the soul is no longer penetrating movement with meaning or purpose. Our habitual movements are machine-like.  They have neither personal rhythm nor cosmic rhythm living in them.  In our modern times, with so many repetitive movements that we want to do automatically, we have a growing interest in forms of conscious movement like yoga and tai chi. Does this possibly show the presence of something divine within our soul seeking to remedy the deadening patterns of modern culture?

In stillness we can remain immobile or to begin to move.  Many of us struggle with movement or stillness when the alarm clock shouts “Move!” and our bodies cry “Still!”

With stillness we can consider two verbs:  to still and to stay still – consciously to stop moving and not to start moving.  Both become easier with attention to our inner relationship to stillness and movement. 

Again, memories of childhood can illuminate our attention.   Parents either forget or lack patience for the incredibly fascinating challenge of childhood living in movement.   Consequently, in our will we find inhibiting emotional echoes of the parental demands of “Stay still!” or “Get moving!

Time to move to the questions ... or perhaps, you need a moment or two of stillness before moving on.

There is something so serene in the thought of stillness.  And something so poetic in the verb “to still.” 

How do you still your thinking?  That is not put your thinking to sleep, but willfully still it. Do you have moments of stillness?  Do you want to still your thoughts?  What about your feelings? If you are a workaholic, do you need to still your will?

Imagine graceful movement.  Can you spend time contemplating what it takes to initiate movement from the place of stillness? Grace is movement flowing with the force of stillness.

How do you initiate a new thought?  How does movement appear in your thinking?  And not through prejudice, fantasy or addiction.  Through joy? Through enthusiasm? Through suffering? Through love?

What rhythms in your life support the actions you take?

Does an inner command to “Be still” create a sense of safety or danger?  What about an inner command to “Get moving”? 

The Twelve Holy Nights are a time when stillness and movement in your soul marry.  Can you feel that union?

Here is a poem that says it all.  It is by Wendell Berry from The Country of Marriage, 1973

Willing to die,
you give up
your will, keep still
until, moved
by what moves 
all else, you move.