Associate Dean Shayla Bott of the College of Fine Arts and Communications spoke to students at the Marriott Center about the importance of taking time to find personal stillness on March 10.
Bott has extensive experience with collegiate and professional ballet and choreography, winning multiple choreography contests. Her research interests include curriculum design, kinesiology for dancers, dance science and injury prevention for dancers.
Bott’s remarks, entitled “Be Still and Know That I Am God,” focused on how a concept known as “slowing” can lead to greater spiritual growth.
She explained the concept of “slowing” by quoting author John Mark Comer’s book, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.”
“The basic idea behind the practice of slowing is this: Slow down your body, slow down your life,” she said.
She also listed specific ways to practice slowing, including arriving early to campus for quiet time, walking without headphones and reading a book instead of turning to technology.
“The world would call this mindfulness. But we can make mindfulness special when we artfully use slowing to align our lives with God's will,” Bott said.
Bott shared several ways that slowing can help aid spiritual growth and mental capacity.
First, slowing creates interior space that allows us to act deliberately instead of reactively.
“For God to change our lives, we have to change our availability to God. God is in relentless pursuit of us. Slowing declares our pursuit of Him,” she said.
Bott explained that slowing in our work and relationships does not mean to be neglectful or lazy. Instead, it helps us to keep the two great commandments to love God and our neighbor.
To practice slowing, we need alone time, Bott said.
Second, slowing is a catalyst for change and can consecrate our efforts to become disciples of Christ.
Bott explained that immersing oneself in time with God is a key part of slowing. This takes slowing from simple mindfulness to spiritual edification.
Quoting C.S. Lewis, she shared the importance of making conscious efforts to give God space to work.
“If you want to get warm, you must stand near the fire. If you want to be wet, you must get into the water. If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them,“ Bott said.
Finally, slowing lets God prevail.
“The Lord has promised us that if we draw near unto Him, He will draw near unto us. Slowing is a way to make our time with God special and give Him time to succor us with our many needs,” she said.
Concluding her remarks, she ended with her personal testimony of Christ.
“I wish to bear my witness that life is better with Christ … I testify that He lives, and that He is willing and anxious to help us,” Bott said.