Stillness 6-24: The wise philosopher Seneca said: “A quarrel is quickly settled when deserted by one party: there is no battle unless there be two.” This adage does not only apply to people, but to any obstacle in our lives. When we fiercely engage with what confronts us, whether it’s a thought, an acquaintance, the excessive heat, or an action plan, the engagement can turn into battle. That’s because when we try to have power over the situation, we give it more power. That’s the nature of energy.
But when we decide to retreat from the situation, we disentangle ourselves from that wrestling for power. Retreating means moving through the obstacle in a different way, by reflecting on a different perspective, or by considering another plan of action, perhaps one we hadn’t thought of before. It’s about pausing to find a different way toward our ultimate success instead of trying to meet it head-on.
There’s a particularly beautiful I-Ching hexagram called “Retreat” or Tun. It’s number 33 and its guidance is not about stalking off in anger and frustration but walking away quietly. Imagine a stream gently flowing around a sharp rock in its path rather than dashing itself against it. Tun reminds me of the Hanged Man in the tarot. The Hanged Man advises us to change our perspective about our reality. He shows up when we’re not in control of the situation we find ourselves in. If we’re caught in the snare of a traffic jam, there’s nothing we can do except change our mind about it: we can give up on the idea that we’ll be home in time for dinner and instead listen to music or talk to a friend on the phone. We are asked to Retreat from the jam itself: to disengage from it. If we don’t, we may find ourselves in a helpless, hopeless morass of sticky rage.
When you retreat into your own sanctuary of stillness, you separate yourself from the entanglements of your situation. You realize that you are not all-powerful and in control. You realize that it’s not all up to you! Surrender to peace. Retreat into stillness and you’ll discover synchronicity, clarity, and calm.