The Quiet Within: Lessons from Marrakesh
Finding stillness in the chaos and the quiet wisdom it leaves behind.
September brought a mix of sunlit warmth, blue skies and crisp breezes, a reminder of the transition between seasons. For me, this month also took me on a short yet vibrant journey to Marrakesh - a place that has always been a sensory explosion, challenging my perceptions and inviting me into new spaces.
Finding Stillness
Although it was my third visit to Marrakesh, this time felt different. A deeper sense of calm accompanied the usual sensory overwhelm, and I realised I was more at ease with the rhythms of the city and culture, as if I was always meant to experience it like this.
As with previous visits, it was an assault on the senses. Yet this time there was also a stillness that came with it. A new way of being with it all, an ebb and flow that hadn’t been present before.
We stayed in a riad, a traditional Moroccan house known for it’s internal courtyard garden. Whether simple or elaborate in their design and decoration, riads offer something magical. They are a respite from the noise, sights, smells and energy of the busy medina streets. The door to the riad acting as a portal to another way of being.
It’s often said that riads offer a retreat for the mind and body. The tall walls with only internal facing windows offer protection, shade and peace for mind, body and soul. They bring a felt sense of being held in a space in a way that allows so much activity and energy to move around you without overwhelming you.
From the outside, the riad is mysterious, hidden behind an unassuming door. It isn’t until you step inside that you realise the full contrast: lush lemon trees, serene pools, and intricate mosaic tiles. This quiet retreat became a reflection of my own inner world - a space where stillness is waiting, just beyond the noise.
Like the door, I have to choose to step through.
Robert Poynton's reminder to pause at thresholds resonates deeply, especially in Marrakesh. The door of the riad became a symbol of this. Before stepping inside, I pause - not just physically, but mentally. It was a moment to leave the chaos outside, to reset, to reflect. Each pause, whether deliberate or incidental, creates space for us to reconnect with ourselves.
The door as a portal. Pausing as a portal.
The only ‘outside interruption (if you can call it that), the regular call to prayer. Beginning close by and then within minutes, echoing from all parts of the medina. Daily regular reminders to pause.
The call to stillness comes quietly
Returning home, I am greeted not by the call to prayer, but by the persistent hum of notifications, emails, and expectations. The noise of the medina has been replaced by a different kind of chaos - the mental clutter of unmet goals, expectations and to-do lists. Yet, the stillness I found in Marrakesh lingers, quietly reminding me to pause.
Stillness and silence are often thought of as the absence of something but actually they are a resource. Stillness sharpens perspective, generates vision and illuminates connections. It enables perseverance and resilience. It’s the key to pretty much everything as Nancy Kline so beautifully puts it:
The quality of every human action, every human action, is underpinned by the quality of your thinking.
Nancy Kline, Time to Think
Stillness is about being steady while the world spins around you, about hearing what needs to be heard. It’s about being able to access the stillness when needed or when you choose to. As much an inner quality as it is a physical form, stillness is within all of us, though sometimes hard to find.
As the darker months approach, I invite you to reflect: where do you find your stillness? Is it in a moment of quiet before the day begins, a pause between tasks, or a walk in nature? Choose one moment in your day to intentionally step into stillness, and see what unfolds.
September Podcast Highlights:
Just as stillness opens doors to deeper thinking, the conversations in my September podcasts mirrored this journey. The themes of a retreat for the mind and boundaries, though different on the surface, are both about creating space - whether in your mind or your life. These connections, like those I experienced in Marrakesh, remind me that stillness is not absence, but an invitation to hear what truly matters.
As I’ve said many times, I love the way seemingly separate and unrelated podcast conversations intertwine, revealing deeper connections and common threads.
This doesn’t so much surprise me as it reaffirms the power of connection and conversation - principles always at the heart of my work.
Guiding you through the wood, the trees and the spaces in between. Join me each month as I dive into a theme inspired by my work and the conversations I have.
So many times Sarah what you write is exactly what I feel I needed. Thank you.