“Whether or not we participate in a spiritual practice or adhere to a faith tradition, whether or not we identify as religious or spiritual, our brain has a natural inclination toward and a docking station for spiritual awareness,” says Lisa Miller, Ph.D., author of The Awakened Brain.

The awakened brain, as she calls it, “Is the neural circuitry that allows us to see the world more fully and thus enhance our individual, societal, and global well-being.”

Importantly, Dr. Miller defines spirituality in a broad manner and points out that we have all had a “moment of deep connection with another being or in nature. A feeling of awe or transcendence. An experience of startling synchronicity or a time when a stranger showed up and did something that changed your life. A time you felt held or inspired or buoyed up by something greater than yourself—a higher power perhaps, but also nature or the universe or even the surge of connection at a concert or sporting event.”

The more room you make in your life for such moments, she suggests, the more fulfilled you are likely to feel and at home in the world; you are also more likely to build relationships and make decisions from a wider view. 

All of which leads me to a very simple point: there are countless reasons to make room for stillness in your weekly routine. Dr. Miller has the benefit of scientific expertise and research to back up the examples shared from her here. But I also know from personal experience that my performance and demeanor improves when I make time to shut my brain off for a bit… to allow connections to form without conscious thought.

For me—and for many of my clients—stillness often eludes us. Making time to relax and even be (gasp) bored can feel like a waste of time.

It’s not. 

There is a growing body of evidence that we make better decisions, achieve more success and feel more fulfilled when we set aside a bit of our responsibilities and make room for… whatever needs our attention.

“Whether it’s meditation or a walk in nature, reading a sacred text or saying a prayer,” says  Dr. Miller, “There are many ways to tap into a heightened awareness of the world around you and your place in it.”

Take a break, and give it a try.