“…women need solitude in order to find again the true essence of themselves: that firm strand which will be the indispensable center of a whole web of human relationships. She must find that inner stillness which Charles Morgan describes as ‘the stilling of the soul within the activities of the mind and body so that it might be still as the axis of a revolving wheel is still.’
“This beautiful image is to my mind the one that women could hold before their eyes. This is an end toward which we could strive–to be the still axis within the revolving wheel of relationships, obligations and activities.”
This wonderful quotation, from Lindbergh’s classic Gift from the Sea, prompted this blog. When one is in the thick of relationships, obligations, and activities–and most women are–how do we become still, become centered? That is what I want to explore here, and I will always welcome your thoughts and comments. As we look toward the new year, which beckons us with hope and the promise of transformative possibilities, let us begin!
Thanks, Maggie, for this new and important endeavor. The Still Axis is such a powerful metaphor, and not unlike the Buddhist concept of feminine “emptiness.” I think one of the most basic ways of reconnecting with our spiritual essence and inner stillness is deep breathing. That space that happens after a cleansing exhalation feels truly sacred to me… and it is never more than a breath away.
I’m looking forward to this Maggie- you always seem to choose just what I need to hear.
Hi Maggie,
I had to stop and leave a comment here. I have been doing, doing, and doing for several months – starting a new business, a new blog, raising my daughter, juggling a new relationship and watching my house get messier and messier. So I am responding to this post on a very personal level.
But I wanted to share with you some crazy synchronicity. For the last month my daughter has been working on a project at school. They are creating a wax museum featuring famous people. My daughter is playing Charles Lindbergh. I have listened to her recite her monologue over and over. And I’ve helped her with her presentation board.
I found your site through Planet Sark and I was just clicking and surfing through when the name Anne Morrow Lindbergh caught my eye. Her name jumped out at me and the message is so perfect for me right now.
Thank you,
Kirsten