Heartletter - Relationship & Wellness Newsletter
- Issued Twice Yearly -

Spring 2005 Heartletter
by Joyce and Barry Vissell

“Be Still and Know... ”

We send our love to all of you. Our connection with you, our family in the heart, is very important to us.

It's a challenging time right now for our country and world. The news of the war, budget cuts and the huge natural disasters fill the news and our consciousness. It's hard to feel peaceful when there is so much going on that is not peaceful. I am often reminded of four words, written over 4,000 years ago, that still hold so much power in today's modern world…”BE STILL AND KNOW…” At a time when there is so much uncertainty and conflict, it is comforting to realize that we can actually be still and know the deep wisdom of our heart. Nothing in the outer world can affect this inner stillness and knowledge.

We live at a time in our world when more and more is expected to be instant. When we first started doing email we thought it was a miracle that we could send a message anywhere so quickly. Now we find ourselves complaining that our computer takes so long. We live out in the country away from fast internet connection. It takes a full ten seconds to send an email and be able to go on to the next (We actually timed it). Ten seconds is so little and yet in this instant age, it sometimes seems like an eternity.

Many people have also become accustomed to microwaving instant dinners. It is fast, yes, but is it the healthiest?

And in the same craving for instant gratification, people seek instant guidance for their lives. It is tempting when faced with a challenge to want to go to a psychic or someone else who can tell us what to do. As good as this person might be, whatever they could say to you greatly pales in comparison to the greatness of the wisdom of your own heart.

A large part of our work is counseling/psychotherapy. Often people want us to tell them what to do: “Should I marry this person?” “Do you think I should leave this relationship?” “Should I move?” Should I change jobs?” What is my purpose here on earth?” “Do you think we should have a baby?” We listen and direct them towards their own inner guidance. We also work to remove any blocks they might have in coming to a clear decision, but we never tell them what to do. The answers to the deepest questions about our lives come from within us. BE STILL AND KNOW…

Perhaps the greatest compliment that we ever received about our work came from a woman a number of years ago. She came to a longer retreat of ours because she was hoping we could give her the answers to some complex issues in her life. But after one week with us she said, “I now realize that the answers I need can be found within myself.” We want to empower all of you to find this wellspring of wisdom within yourself.

In an age of instant gratification, inner guidance cannot be rushed. It's true that we can sometimes sit, close our eyes and ask inside and instantly the guidance is there. But for the deeper answers in our lives, it can take time and sometimes a lot of it.

So how do we find this inner voice and knowing? The first step is to realize that this inner wisdom is the greatest power and guidance we can ever have in our life. Decisions that come from this deep place within our hearts will bless our lives. Major decisions made quickly from the mind can lead to distraction, confusion and possible suffering.

The second step is to allow the time to experience our inner knowing. It's very helpful to remove ourself from our daily distractions of life. Often people ask us how they will know if they are with the right person in a relationship. Our answer is always the same: go off by yourself and find your inner wisdom.

It's also important to ask inside for help, guidance or inspiration. Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open ed to you...” Many other spiritual paths encourage this kind of inner asking. In the process of sincere asking we are opening a door for the true wisdom to be heard.

It is equally important to expect the answer we need, and then give ourselves the time to listen and feel within. We can choose to either feel like beggars not worthy of receiving or divine children deserving abundant good.

We also find it helpful, when faced with an important decision, to go away from our home and be in nature. We often sit quietly by ourselves allowing the beauty of nature to help quiet our minds. Often we also walk or ride our bikes in nature. The movement and exercise helps to quiet our minds. Then we ask inside for guidance.

You will know when the voice of your heart speaks to you, for you will feel a certainty, inner power, or peace. You may still be unclear about details, but you will no longer doubt the decision. If it is a risk you are needing to take, you will also feel the strength to do it.

Isn't it worth it to be still and then to know the great inner power that can transform your life. In our lives we've had plenty of times when we have tried to rush a decision and have not waited for the inner knowledge to come forth. These decisions for the most part have not been successful. Before we had children, we impulsively purchased a piece of property that turned out to be a disaster. We let ourselves be ruled by desire rather than wisdom. We have also had times when we took the time and really allowed the inner knowledge to come through, like the decision to marry, have children, and do this work that we love so much. These decisions have greatly blessed our lives.

Twenty years ago, it became clear to us that we needed a special musician to accompany us at our longer retreats. We kept asking inside for the right person. During the lunch brea k of a workshop in San Diego , we heard for the first time a recording of Charley Thweatt singing “Be Still and Know I Am God.” We sat there mesmerized, and we knew we had found this special person. We have been working together ever since.

And so, as spring approaches, we encourage you to get out in nature, quiet your mind, and allow your heart to speak to you about your life. Picture a gentle presence leading you beside still waters or allowing you to lie in a green pasture covered with flowers and helping you get in touch with your true inner being, light, and beauty. And remember to give thanks.