When the Muddy Water Settles: The Science and Wisdom of Stillness

As a kid, my favorite place to wander was what everyone called “The Field.” It was a mixture of open field, wetlands, and wooded areas — just a big chunk of undeveloped land where the local kids rode their bikes and dirt bikes and built forts. I did all that too, but I was also drawn to the wild berries, the wildlife, and the solitude. I could stay in one spot for hours, just observing — the wind, the colors, the patterns, the quiet. Sometimes after school I’d walk a different route home, or even purposely take the wrong bus so I’d have a longer walk to wander and explore.

Somewhere along the way, the world got louder.
Busier.
More cluttered.

I stopped watching TV in the early ’80s to dial down the junk coming in… but now the internet brings more noise than ever. I used to listen to loud music; these days I drive mostly in silence. Even as a musician, silence feels more helpful than sound.

And yet, something surprising has happened.
The older I get — and the more I’ve learned about my own health — the more I realize that stillness isn’t just a spiritual luxury.
It’s not just a moment to “clear your mind.”

Stillness is biology.
Stillness is restoration.
Stillness is communication.

And your body is wired to come alive in it.

What Happens Inside the Body When You Get Still

We often talk about being “stressed,” but most people don’t realize that stress isn’t just a feeling — it’s a physiological state. Your nervous system, hormones, immune cells, and even your mitochondria all shift into overdrive when you’re constantly reacting to noise, information, and demands.

Your body has two basic modes:

Survival mode (sympathetic): fight, flight, tension, vigilance
Restoration mode (parasympathetic): repair, digestion, communication, healing

Most people live in survival mode without realizing it.

Stillness — even just a few minutes — flips the switch.

Your nervous system downshifts

Breathing slows. The vagus nerve engages. Heart rate variability improves. This signals the entire body:
“You’re safe. You can repair now.”

Your immune system recalibrates

Inflammatory markers drop. Your immune cells shift from attack mode into balance and cleanup.

Cellular communication improves

When your body isn’t flooded with stress chemistry, the redox signaling network becomes more efficient. Those tiny messenger molecules can finally deliver repairs, coordinate responses, and help cells do their job.

Your brain opens up

The prefrontal cortex — the seat of discernment, focus, awareness, and common sense — becomes more active when you’re quiet and still.
The muddy water settles.
Clarity rises to the surface.

Your energy changes

Stillness lowers allostatic load — the “wear and tear” on your body from chronic stress. When this load lightens, your body can redirect resources back to digestion, recovery, hormone balance, muscle repair, and long-term health.

This is the state your body wants to be in.
This is homeostasis.

The Same State That Helps You Hear God’s Whisper Helps Your Body Heal

I’ve realized something over the years:

The same state that helps you hear God’s whisper
is the state that allows your cells to repair.

Stillness isn’t just mental.
It’s spiritual.
And it’s physical.

When you slow down:

Your immune system listens better.
Your cells communicate better.
Your thinking sharpens.
Discernment grows.
The noise fades.
What’s real rises.

This is why silence has always been part of spiritual practice — across faith traditions, across centuries. The body and the spirit were never meant to be separated.

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Modern Life Works Against Stillness

Today’s world is full of:

nonstop information
alerts and notifications
rushing
noise
comparison
chronic stress
poor sleep
processed food
constant stimulation

All of this keeps the nervous system “switched on.”
It keeps the muddy water stirred up.

Most people have no idea what true stillness feels like anymore.
No wonder so many feel anxious, foggy, exhausted, or disconnected from themselves.

But here’s the good news:

Your body remembers.
Your spirit remembers.
Stillness is a skill you can relearn.

How to Begin Reclaiming Stillness

You don’t need to sit on a mountaintop or meditate for an hour. Start simple.

A 3-minute practice anyone can do

Sit somewhere comfortable — backyard, porch, car, park bench.
Take one slow breath in and out.
Let your eyes soften and widen.
Listen:
- birds
- distant traffic
- wind
- your thoughts
- your breathing
Don’t force anything. Just notice.

Most people feel a shift almost immediately:
Breathing deeper.
Mind widening.
Eyes relaxing.
Body settling.

That shift is your nervous system saying,
“Thank you.”

Your Body Will Tell You What It Needs — If You Give It Space

The more time you spend in stillness, the more your body teaches you:

what foods it does well with
when you need rest
when you’re pushing too hard
when you’re dehydrated
when you need movement
when stress is building
when your immune system is overwhelmed
when noise is stealing your peace

Discernment grows — both spiritually and biologically.

Stillness makes you more aware of what’s real, and less pulled into the craziness around you.

Why I’m Sharing This

I used to think stillness was just something I enjoyed.
Now I see it differently.

After walking through a major health crisis — when my body’s communication systems essentially broke down — I’ve become fascinated by how we’re designed.

Stillness is one of the simplest tools we have for supporting that design.

It costs nothing.
It’s accessible to anyone.
It improves biology.
It strengthens faith.
And it helps us navigate a noisy, distracted world with more clarity and more peace.

If you’ve been feeling worn down, overstimulated, or disconnected from yourself, start here:

Be still for a few minutes each day.
Let the muddy water settle.
Clarity is waiting.
Your body will thank you.