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. >>> WELCOME BACK.
HAVING THE CAPACITY FOR
STILLNESS, HOLDING STEADY
AMIDST CHAOS IS A SKILL FOUND
IN SOME OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST
THINKERS FROM WINSTON CHURCHILL
TO ANNE FRANK.
IN THE BEST SELLING BOOK,
STILLNESS IS THE KEY.
THE AUTHOR INTRODUCES THE
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY TO THE
WORLD.
WORLD.
WORLD. HE
WORLD. HE SHARES WHAT HE LEARNED ABOUT
AVOIDING DISASTERS AND QUIETING
THE MIND.
THE MIND.
THE MIND. SOMETHING I THINK PEOPLE
DESPERATELY WANT.
DESPERATELY WANT. >> PARTICULARLY TODAY.
>> PARTICULARLY TODAY, THERE'S
SO MUCH JANGLE COMING FROM
EVERY POSSIBLE PLACE.
>> YEAH, IN THE 1500S, BLAZE
PASCAL SAID ALL OF HUMANITY'S
PROBLEMS STEM FROM OUR
INABILITY TO SIT QUIETLY IN A
ROOM ALONE.
ROOM ALONE. >> BOOM.
>> BOOM.
>> BOOM. >> FLASH FORWARD 500 YEARS.
IT'S EVEN HARDER AND I THINK
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
AND THAT INABLE TO SLOW DOWN TO
CLARIFY WHAT WE'RE THINKING.
TO REALLY HONE IN ON WHAT'S
IMPORTANT IS BOTH THE SOURCE OF
GREATNESS BUT ALSO THE LACK OF
IT, THE SOURCE OF SO MANY
PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE.
>> RIGHT, AND SO MUCH INPUT IN
THE WORLD.
THE WORLD. THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON.
THAT IT'S HARD TO, YOU KNOW, I
KNOW EVERYBODY SAYS YOUR PHONE,
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THAT.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT I
THINK THE MONKS CALL MONKEY
BRAIN, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU JUST
CAN'T FOCUS ON ANYTHING.
AND IT'S HARD TO KNOW YOURSELF
OR TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR LIFE
IS ABOUT IF YOU'RE NOT STILL
EVER.
EVER.
EVER. >>
EVER. >> IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SHUTTING
OFF SOCIAL MEDIA.
THERE ARE PEOPLE YOU COULD SEND
THEM OUT TO A CABIN IN THE
WOODS AND IT'D BE THE NOISIEST
MOST UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE YOU
CAN IMAGINE.
CAN IMAGINE. BECAUSE INSIDE THEY HAVE A
RACING VOICE.
RACING VOICE. AND SO --
AND SO --
AND SO -- >> IT'S ABOUT STILLNESS IN
HERE.
HERE.
HERE. >>
HERE. >> IT'S NOT JUST THE SITTING
AND MEDICATING, THAT'S ONLY
GOING TO GET YOU PART OF THE
WAY THERE.
WAY THERE. SO IN THE BOOK I'M REALLY
TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE GET TO
STILLNESS ACROSS ALL THE
DOMAINS.
DOMAINS.
DOMAINS. WHETHER IT'S MENTAL, SPIRITUAL,
AND PHYSICAL, BECAUSE IT'S A
COMPREHENSIVE PLACE WE HAVE TO
GET TO.
GET TO.
GET TO. YOU CAN'T JUST DO IT ONE WAY.
>> AND YOU LET US KNOW, BEING
IN NATURE, HAVING A HOBBY,
GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP, THIS
SOUNDS SIMPLE BUT IT'S NOT.
IN THE BOOK IT GOES PRETTY
DEEP.
DEEP.
DEEP. YOU
DEEP. YOU GIVE US EXAMPLES OF GREAT
PEOPLE WHO USED VARIOUS FORMS
OF STILLNESS TO REACH PEAKS.
TELL ME ABOUT WINSTON
CHURCHILL.
CHURCHILL. >> WHAT'S SO FACINATING ABOUT
WINSTON CHURCHILL IS HE'S
PROBABLY THE BUSIEST PERSON.
HE HAD A FEW THINGS ON HIS
MIND.
MIND.
MIND. HE
MIND. HE HAD AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF
RESPONSIBILITY.
RESPONSIBILITY. IN ADDITION TO LEADING THE
BRITISH EMPIRE.
BRITISH EMPIRE. HE WRITES ALL THESE BEST
SELLING BOOKS.
SELLING BOOKS. HE PAINTS SOMETHING LIKE 500
PAINTINGS IN HIS LIFETIME.
AND THOSE PAINTINGS ARE IN
MUSEUMS TODAY.
MUSEUMS TODAY. NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE GREAT.
HE WOULD YOU BELIEVE THE A GOOD
PAINTER.
PAINTER.
PAINTER. -- HE WASN'T A GOOD PAINTER.
IT WAS WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED
THROUGH PAINTING.
THROUGH PAINTING. IT ALLOWED HIM TO SLOW DOWN.
BECOME PRESENT, REALLY NOTICE
AND APPRECIATE THE WORLD AROUND
HIM.
HIM.
HIM. AND
HIM. AND THIS WAS A SKILL HE HAD TO
CULTIVATE.
CULTIVATE. HE WAS ON THE EDGE OF A NERVOUS
BREAK DOWN, HIS SISTER-IN-LAW
HANDS HIM A CHILDREN'S PAINT
SET AND SAYS MY KIDS GOT A LOT
OUT OF THIS.
MAYBE YOU WOULD TOO.
HE ALSO LIKES TO LAY BRICKS.
>> I'M SO INTO BOTH OF THESE
THINGS AS A WAY TO JUST BE.
>> AS A WAY TO BE.
AND HE SAID THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING FOR A PUBLIC MAN OR WOMAN
WAS TO HAVE TWO OR THREE REAL
HOBBIES.
HOBBIES.
HOBBIES. TWO OR THREE REAL THINGS YOU
DEDICATE YOURSELF TO THAT ARE
THE OPPOSITE OF YOUR WORK.
SO IT'S THE HUMILITY YOU GET
FROM BEING BAD AT SOMETHING.
IT'S THE PRACTICE OF DOING IT.
IT'S BEING PRESENT.
IT'S BEING OUT IN NATURE.
TOWN IN THE DIRT.
THIS IS A DEEPLY THERAPEUTIC
AND RESTORATIVE PROCESS.
SO HE'S MOVING AS HE'S DOING
IT.
IT.
IT. BUT
IT. BUT HE'S STILL GETTING TO
STILLNESS.
STILLNESS. AND THEN HE'S ABLE TO BRING
THAT BACK TO WHAT YOU CAN ONLY
IMAGINE WAS AN INCREDIBLY
STRESSFUL DAY JOB.
>> IT'S JUST A REALLY ARRESTING
ACCOUNT.
ACCOUNT.
ACCOUNT. AND I LOVED IT.
ANNE FRANK, LOOKING AT NATURE
THROUGH A WINDOW.
>> YEAH, SHE WOULD SAY EVEN
AMONGST THE HORRS OF WAR,
BEAUTY REMAINED, SHE LOVED TO
CLIMB UP TO THE TOP OF THE
ATTIC AND LOOK DOWN AT THE ONE
TREE SHE COULD SEE.
AND SHE WOULD JUST SORT OF TAKE
IT IN.
IT IN.
IT IN. BUT I THINK WHAT SHE WAS REALLY
DOING.
DOING.
DOING. AND THE ONLY REASON WE KNOW
ABOUT THIS TREE IS SHE SPENT SO
MUCH TIME WITH HER JOURNAL EACH
MORNING AND EACH AFTERNOON.
AND BEING A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL IS
ALL READY DIFFICULT.
BEING A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL
TRAPPED IN A SMALL ROOM WITH
YOUR FAMILY WORRIED THAT THE
NAZIS ARE GOING TO BREAK IN AT
ANY MOMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN
HORRENDOUS FOR ANYONE.
BUT IT WAS THE PROCESS OF
SITTING DOWN WITH THESE PAGES,
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
REFLECTING ON WHO SHE WAS.
REFLECTING ON HER FEELINGS.
WORKING THROUGH HER PROBLEMS.
IN ONE SPOT, SHE SAYS PAPER IS
MORE PATIENT THAN PEOPLE.
THAT'S SO BEAUTIFULLY SAID.
THE WAYS YOU GET TO STILLNESS,
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE
MEDITATION.
MEDITATION. THE MEDITATION CAN BE WITH A
PEN AND PAPER.
IT CAN BE ON YOUR PHONE IF
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN DO
IT.
IT.
IT. >>
IT. >> YOU CAN ALSO DO THAT.
IT'S JUST A TOOL.
HOWEVER YOU USE IT IS UP TO
YOU.
YOU.
YOU. >>
YOU. >> IT'S PUTTING YOUR THOUGHTS
OUT AND HAVING DISTANCE FROM
THEM.
THEM.
THEM. YOU
THEM. YOU TALK ABOUT THE MON DI MINE.
WHEN YOU PUT THE MONKEY MIND ON
PAPER IT LOOKS RIDICULOUS AND
YOU GO OKAY, I DON'T NEED TO
FEEL THIS WAY.
ENTERIC WITH YOUR THOUGHTS
INSTEAD OF BEING JERKED AROUND
BY THEM.
BY THEM.
BY THEM. >> WE'RE NOT LEAVING BLOWING IN
THE WIND.
THE WIND.
THE WIND. WE CAN BE THE MASTERS OF OUR
FATE.
FATE.
FATE. AND
FATE. AND THIS IS AS YOU SAY, THE KEY
TO THAT, I KNOW YOU'RE VERY
POPULAR WITH MILLENNIALS AND
I'M GLAD OF THAT.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF --
THERE ARE MANY RESOURCES OUT
THERE FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
THAT WERE NOT NECESSARILY
AVAILABLE TO MY PARENTS AND
GRANDPARENTS BUT ALSO FOUND
THERE WAS A GREAT BOOMER
MESSAGE AT THE END OF THE BOOK
WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT HAVING
STILLNESS.
STILLNESS. HAVING AWARENESS, HAVING A REAL
LIFE LEADS TO A HAPPIER DEATH.
THAT YOU COME TO TERMS WITH I
LIVED MY LIFE.
>> SURE.
>> SURE.
>> SURE. >> BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I WANT TO
DO IT.
DO IT.
DO IT. I
DO IT. I WANT TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS.
STICK THE LANDING.
>> WE DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT
THE FACT THAT THERE'S AN END TO
THIS STORY.
THIS STORY. IT'S UNPLEASANT.
IT'S UNPLEASANT. AND WE THINK IT'S MORBID.
WE NOT ONLY DON'T THINK ABOUT
DEATH.
DEATH.
DEATH. WE
DEATH. WE PRETEND IT DOESN'T EXIST.
>> I DON'T.
I HAVE A PLAY LIST FOR MY
SERVICE.
SERVICE.
SERVICE. I WANT TO LIVE MY LIFE.
BUT GO AHEAD.
>> IN ALMOST ALL THE
PHILOSOPHICAL SCHOOLS.
PHILOSOPHICAL SCHOOLS. THEY TALK ABOUT AND MEDITATE ON
MORTALITY.
MORTALITY. BELIEVING IT WAS A HUGELY
INSIGHTLY PRACTICE.
INSIGHTLY PRACTICE. I HAVE A COIN IN MY POCKET.
I CARRY THIS COIN.
IT SAYS MOMENTO MORI.
THESE ARE THE THREE THEMES OF
LIFE.
LIFE.
LIFE. BUT
LIFE. BUT ON THE BACK, IT HAS A QUOTE
FROM MARCUS.
FROM MARCUS. HE SAID YOU CAN LEAVE LIFE
RIGHT NOW, LET THAT DETERMINE
WHAT YOU DO, SAY, AND THINK.
SO I TRY TO ALWAYS -- I
MEDITATE ON DEATH NOT TO BE
MORBID OR BE DEPRESSED OR SAY
NONE OF THIS MATTERS BUT TO SAY
THIS REALLY DOES MATTER.
THIS COULD BE THE LAST
CONVERSATION I HAVE.
WHEN I LEFT THIS MORNING, THIS
COULD HAVE BEEN THE LAST TIME I
SAW MY KIDS.
>> I DON'T FIND IT MORBID.
IT HELPS ME REMIND MYSELF HOW
PRECIOUS TIME IS.
HOW PRECIOUS LIFE IS.
AND IT GETS ME TO SOBER RIGHT
UP FOR WHAT I'M DOING WITH MY
TIME.
TIME.
TIME. >>
TIME. >> IT PULLS YOU INTO THE
PRESENT.
PRESENT.
PRESENT. AND I THINK IT HAS THE EFFECT
OF GRATITUDE.
OF GRATITUDE. SENECA, ONE OF THE OTHER STOICS
HE WOULD SAY WHEN YOU BALANCE
THE BOOKS OF LIFE EACH DAY AND
YOU FINISH THE DAY AND YOU GO
I'VE LIVED MY LIFE.
WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING
YOU'RE LIKE THIS IS A BONUS
DAY, SO IT CAN BE REALLY
FREEING AND PRIORITIZING AND
RELAXING BECAUSE YOU GO, ON THE
ONE HAND, THIS DAY MATTERS,
BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY DAY, BUT
IF IT'S A BONUS DAY, YOU'RE
SITTING IN TRAFFIC, THAT'S WHAT
YOU'RE DOING TODAY, RIGHT?
IT'S NOT -- NOTHING IS BEING
TAKEN FROM YOU, NOTHING IS
BEING STOKEN FROM YOU, YOU COME
BACK TO THE PRESENT AND YOU DO
THE BEST YOU CAN IN THIS
MOMENT.
MOMENT.
MOMENT. TO ME, THAT'S WHAT STILLNESS
IS.
IS.
IS. >>
IS. >> AMEN, YOU'RE ONE SMART
COOKIE, THIS IS A GREAT BOOK.
I HOPE EVERYBODY WILL READ IT.
I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING IN
THERE FOR EVERYBODY.
FROM A TEENAGER ON UP.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT WAS REALLY AMAZING.
DO I GET THIS?
THANK YOU I APPRECIATE THAT.
COMING UP