Stillness of the Mind

Stillness of the breath is stillness of the mind.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

The pathway to all the transformative benefits of meditation involves stillness of the mind. A powerful way to quiet the mind is to focus on the breath, which naturally slows as we reach a sustained level of concentration. Mind follows body and body follows mind. As we focus on the breath it slows and our body moves into a progressively more restful mode. In its own time our state of consciousness moves from concentration into meditation and we can just be there, dropping all technique. When you observe you are again distracted by thoughts, sounds, or sensations, just play this little game. Gently watch your awareness of the distraction. You may find that the same way it arose, it may just fall away and leave you in stillness.