PEACE … BE STILL
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And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Mark 4:39 |
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He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Psalms 107:29 |
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Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26 |
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Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. Luke 8:24 |
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Be still, and know that I am God: Psalms 46:10 |
Just what does it mean? Peace? Be still? According to the dictionary and thesaurus:
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Peace |
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n. 1. The absence of war or other hostilities. 2. The state prevailing during the absence of war 3. An agreement or a treaty to end hostilities. 4. Freedom from quarrels and disagreement; harmonious relations: roommates living in peace with each other. 5. Public security and order: was arrested for disturbing the peace. 6. Inner contentment; serenity: peace of mind. 7. The absence of mental stress or anxiety |
interj. Used as a greeting or farewell, and as a request for silence. |
Idioms: 1. In a state of tranquility; serene, or quiet: She is at peace with herself and her friends. 2. Free from strife: Everyone wants to live in a world at peace. keep/hold (one's) peace To be silent. keep the peace To maintain or observe law and order, a state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom, freedom from civil disturbance: officers who were sworn to keep the peace. |
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Synonyms: At rest, heartsease, hushed, motionless, noiseless, pacific, peace of mind, peaceful, peacefulness, placid, quiet, repose, restful, sealed, serene, serenity, silent, smooth, soundless, stable, static, stationary, stilly, stock-still, tranquil, undisturbed, unruffled, unstirring, untroubled, |
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Antonyms: active, moving |
Peace seems to mean calm. What does calm mean?
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Calm |
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adj. calm·er, calm·est 1. Nearly or completely motionless; undisturbed: the calm surface of the lake. 2. Not excited or agitated; composed: The President was calm throughout the global crisis. |
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n. calmness
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tr. & intr.v. calmed, calm·ing, calms To make or become calm or quiet: A warm bath will calm you. After the storm, the air calmed. |
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adv. calmly |
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adj 1: not agitated; without losing self-possession; "spoke in a calm voice"; "remained calm throughout the uproar" 2: characterized by absence of emotional agitation; "calm acceptance of the inevitable"; "remained serene in the midst of turbulence"; "a serene expression on her face"; "she became more tranquil"; "tranquil life in the country" 3: (of weather) free from storm or wind; "calm seas" 4: marked by freedom from agitation or excitement; "the rioters gradually became calm and slowly dispersed" n : steadiness of mind under stress; "he accepted their problems with composure and she with equanimity" |
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v 1: make calm or still; "quiet the dragons of worry and fear" 2: make steady; "steady yourself" 3: become quiet or calm, especially after a state of agitation; "After the fight both men need to cool off."; "It took a while after the baby was born for things to settle down again." 4: cause to be calm or quiet as by administering a sedative to; "The patient must be sedated before the operation" |
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Synonyms: At peace, becalm, calm down, calmness, chill out, civil, composure, cool it, cool off, cool, equanimity, halcyon, harmonious, hushed, in order, inactive, low-key, lull, mild, motionless, pacific, pastoral, peaceful, placid, quiescent, quiet, reposeful, reposing, restful, rural, sedate, serene, settle down, simmer down, slow, smooth, soothing, standstill, steady, still, stormless, tranquil, tranquilize, unagitated, undisturbed, unruffled, waveless, windless These adjectives denote absence of excitement or disturbance: calm acceptance of the inevitable; hoped for a more tranquil life in the country; a soothing, placid tempermant; spent a serene, restful weekend at the lake; a peaceful hike through the scenic hills. |
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Antonyms: agitate, discomposure, excited, frenzied, rough, stimulate, stormy, turbulent, violent, wild, |
To be at peace, to be calm, seems to mean to be still. So what does that mean?
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Still |
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adj. still·er, still·est 1. Free of sound. 2. Low in sound; hushed or subdued. marked by absence of sound; "a silent house"; "soundless footsteps on the grass"; "the night was still" 3. Not moving or in motion. not in physical motion; "the inertia of an object at rest" 4. Free from disturbance, agitation, or commotion. "a ribbon of sand between the angry sea and the placid bay"; "the quiet waters of a lagoon"; "a lake of tranquil blue water reflecting a tranquil blue sky"; "a smooth channel crossing"; "scarcely a ripple on the still water"; "unruffled water 5. Free from a noticeable current: a still pond; still waters. |
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n. 1. Silence; quiet 2. (poetic) tranquil silence; "the still of the night" |
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adv. 1. Without movement; motionlessly: without moving or making a sound; "he sat still as a statue"; "time stood still"; "they waited stock-still outside the door", stand still. 2. a. At the present time; for the present: We are still waiting. b. Up to or at a specified time; yet: still had not made up her mind. c. At a future time; eventually: may still see the error of his ways. 3. In increasing amount or degree; even: and still further complaints. 4. with reference to action or condition; without change, interruption, or cessation; "it's still warm outside"; "will you still love me when we're old and grey?" |
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v. stilled, still·ing, stills |
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v. tr. 1. To make still or tranquil. make calm or still; "quiet the dragons of worry and fear" 2. To make quiet; silence. cause to be quiet or not talk; "Please silence the children in the church!" 3. To make motionless. 4. To allay; calm: lessen the intensity of or calm; "The news eased my conscience"; "still the fears" The parents stilled their child's fears of the dark. |
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v. intr. To become still. |
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Synonyms: At rest, buttoned up, clammed up, close-mouthed, closed, deathlike, deathly, deathly quiet, deathly still, fixed, halcyon, hushed, hushful, iced, inert, lifeless, motionless, noiseless, pacific, peaceful, placid, quiet, restful, sealed, serene, silent, smooth, soundless, stable, stagnant, static, stationary, stilly, stock-still, tranquil, undisturbed, unruffled, unstirring, untroubled, inactive, static, hush, stillness, soundless, stock-still, calm, calm down, quiet, tranquilize, lull, silence, shut up, hush up, allay, relieve, ease These adjectives mean marked by or making no sound, noise, or movement. Still implies lack of motion or disturbance and often connotes rest or tranquillity: "But after tempest... /There came a day as still as heaven" (Tennyson). Quiet suggests the absence of bustle, tumult, or agitation: "life being very short, and the quiet hours of it few" (John Ruskin). Silent can suggest a profound hush: "I like the silent church before the service begins" (Ralph Waldo Emerson). Noiseless and soundless imply the absence of disturbing sound: "th' inaudible and noiseless foot of time" (Shakespeare). "the soundless footsteps on the grass" (John Galsworthy). |
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Antonyms: active, moving, agitate |
So, in other words, we should be quiet, calm, and at peace.
"As we move deeper within ourselves in meditation, we discover a state of STILLNESS that is not disturbed by outer activity. At first we may have fleeting glimpses and only momentary experiences of STILLNESS, but as we persevere, it begins to infiltrate and pervade our lives.
STILLNESS can be breathtaking, for it contains everything within it, both that which is known and as yet unknown. As you bring more STILLNESS into your life, you also gain the ability to see in a new way, for it is in the moments of STILLNESS that so much is revealed.
Allow yourself to move deeper, plant the seed of STILLNESS, allow everything within you to quieten down and be with the STILLNESS, let it immerse and surround you.
In the midst of action and before every meeting or event remember to take a few moments of STILLNESS. Pause throughout the day to regain and maintain your equilibrium, always come back to STILLNESS."
-Maggie Erotokritou, The Global Spiritual Network
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The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Ecclesiastes 9:17 |
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It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:26 |
Quiet teaching and meditation accomplishes more than all the shouting and agitation.
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References: 1. The Holy Bible, King James Version 2. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition 3. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc. 4. Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus, First Edition (v 1.1.1) 5. WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University 6. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. |