But neither arrest nor movement...
I can only say, there we have been: but I cannot say where.
And I cannot say, how long, for that is to place it in time."
T S Eliot, Four Quartets
Stillpoint explores and celebrates the link between inner stillness, and managing a life with depleted energy levels or dominated by pain. Left to a life pared down to the essentials, we have to develop what is for some a new skill: to ‘be’ rather than ‘do’. Meditation and mindfulness are fundamental to this, yet it can be very hard to learn alone when you are ill and housebound. The Stillpoint web site is here to help by providing online information, resources and links.
People involved with Stillpoint have found Buddhist teachings to be very useful in adapting to the limitations imposed by chronic illness. They can help us to integrate our physical, mental and spiritual experiences during a time which can be frustrating and lonely. Whether you are already established in a practice or just interested and learning, we hope the Stillpoint web site will prove a valuable resource.
Although our starting point was Buddhist teachings, we are not affiliated to any religious group, have a non-denominational and interfaith ethos, and while we provide contacts and resources focussed primarily on Buddhism those contributing to Stillpoint come from a range of spiritual backgrounds.
The Stillpoint project started out from a small ad in Action for ME's magazine Interaction in 1999, and has been a great success. However the office was closed in 2004 and membership suspended due to lack of manpower. The web site represents a new direction to allow our material to be shared more widely to include all users with chronic and disabling illness, without the administrative workload a membership group requires.
We would however welcome assistance from skilled and committed people who can help sustain this project and reopen postal services to the group - anywhere in the UK
Stillpoint is now open to anyone with chronic illness, but for four years until 2004, we brought together ME/CFS sufferers across the UK. The aim has been to reach those who are unable to access the usual avenues of meditation intruction, spiritual friendship & support due to social isolation, (and their carers). There are an estimated 240,000 people with ME in the UK, 25% of whom are bed/housebound and severely debilitated. For info see 25%ME group web site, MERGE and Action for ME.
Increasing numbers of the population are also affected by chronic fatigue with varied causes, for instance as a corollary of other diseases and conditions eg. cancer. Since careful pacing of activity is a vital aspect of illness management, our premise is that mindfulness enriches the patient's skills in this process, as well as improving their quality of life.
(website relocated here 30/01/2010)
Comments