1. The Power to Withdraw

Just as a tortoise goes within its shell in a moment of danger, or just to rest, I am able to retract myself from any situation and remain protected in the “shell of soul consciousness.”

The Power to Withdraw is the ability to disengage from the world around you. It is the first step in restoring calm and using internal focus to withdraw attention away from everything external. The Tortoise is good at this as it pulls its head and arms and legs inside its shell. Can I do this with my senses? To see but not see, to hear but not hear, or to see and hear but not to be influenced or disturbed by what you see and hear. It helps if I value periods of solitude and introspection, time to reflect and be quiet. It means leaving my senses behind for a…