I wonder how you are doing. This week, I have been particularly struck by the importance of seeking stillness amidst everything around us. Perhaps you too are feeling the weight of the suffering we see on the world stage, layered on top of the challenges of daily life. Today, I hope to offer a glimpse of beauty and tranquillity, a little balm for the heart and soul.

I am writing from a clifftop at Long Nab, just north of Scarborough. A wonderful spot, a tiny peninsula with the sea in front and on either side. It is mid-morning on a hot day. The sea is calm, several shades of blue, kissed by a band of silvery sunlight dancing across its gently rippling surface.

There is a rhythmic, soothing sound of soft splashing tide against the rocks below. A welcome breeze enlivens the vegetation. Seagulls glide by, and occasionally the majestic gannets pass in the distance. Their mastery of the air, yellow heads, white bodies, and black wing tips look glorious against the pale blue sky.

A cricket chirrups nearby, and butterflies visit the cliff top flowers. An hour ago, the water below was blessed by a large pod of dolphins, twenty-five in total, grouped in twos and threes, charging through the water and leaving dramatic white splashes in their wake. Exhilarating to watch, they exude joy, leaving the heart uplifted and the soul nourished.

Sitting on the cliff top, soaking up the beauty of wildlife and the elements of Nature, air, water, earth, and sun, I felt truly refreshed. Stillness, I am learning, is a skill to cultivate.

In the outer world, I am quite practiced at seeking quietness. A few days ago, I visited Whitby, a jewel of a seaside town often flooded by tourists. Even there, I found quiet spots to linger, and I had deliberately parked with a view of a field so that at the end of the day, I could spend a few minutes watching the long grass swaying in the breeze.

In the busyness of modern life, attending to our need for stillness can be an essential act of self-care. This week’s self-kindness invitation is to reflect on how well your own need for quiet and stillness is being met. Treat yourself kindly in this exploration. Attend to this need as best you can, in whatever ways are available.

Sometimes an outer experience, like watching wildlife or a peaceful landscape, can help cultivate and nourish inner stillness. But at all times, your breath is available. Simply focusing on its gentle rhythm can be the gift you need.

Profound self-kindness begins with noticing, breathing, and allowing yourself the space to be still.