The Gifts of Silence
I’ve just emerged from a three day silent retreat and it feels like the wind has blown through my inner space and cleared the cobwebs from the hidden corners of my head and my heart.
I’m left feeling refreshed, renewed and ready for the next phase of the unfolding dream with the fullness of connection to my inner core restored to its natural state of wholeness.
Loud music is likely to remain a constant companion for my regular moments of wild and free self-expression… but I’ll always appreciate the joy of silence.
Internal and External Noise
I love doing my own version of silent retreats a couple of times a year in addition to my regular practice of spending some time in silence most days (read my previous post about this here).
Yet even with the level of commitment I have to it, there’s still a small degree of resistance to overcome initially.
Fortunately it dissipates quickly for me now but internal and external noise is a habit that’s continually reinforced by the constant pressures of everyday life in the western world.
Whether it’s the continuous chatter of thoughts or the steady stream of doing in the midst of endless alerts and the racket of contemporary living, silence is so easily crowded out.
A Timeless Teaching
Nevertheless, it doesn’t take much to realize that silence is always there beneath the din and available for you to benefit from the invaluable gifts it has to offer.
Spending time in contemplative silence leads you directly in to the core of your being where you (re)discover that it’s a quality of your true nature.
In my experience, this feels delightfully like coming home to my Self and my creative soul is deeply nourished in the silence of being as the source of infinite potential.
No wonder it’s a timeless teaching of all major spiritual traditions.
The Gifts of Silence
However, the gifts of silence extend way beyond spiritual practice. Research has shown that silence has the potential to improve your overall health and well-being through:
- Calming your mind and relaxing your body;
- Releasing tension and lowering blood pressure;
- Boosting your immune system and relieving stress;
- Sharpening your senses and heightening your clarity;
- Stimulating intuition and insights, inspiring creativity… and more!
Dive In
No matter how busy your life is, it just takes a few moments on a regular basis to benefit from the gifts of silence, and the more time and space you give it, the deeper your replenishment will be.
Here are a few simple ways to dive in to silence for anything from 5 to 20 minutes or more each day:
- Meditate – contemplative silence is a powerful way in to the core of your being; simply anchor your attention to the rhythm of your breathing and feel your whole system settle into a deep state of quiet.
- Switch Off – background noise and the constant interruptions of everyday life including the television, radio and notifications on your phone deplete you; so take a break from ALL media, especially social media.
- Eat – enjoy your food without the distractions of external noise, whatever form that takes; eating in silence enables you to savour the flavours and supports your body to assimilate nutrients more efficiently.
- Listen – refrain from talking and spend some quality time listening. Expand your capacity to hear distant sounds and cultivate the art of conscious listening to notice the underlying silence out of which all sounds arise.
- Walk – ideally find a natural space and be in solitude. If you go with someone else, agree to maintain a companionable silence, and if it feels appropriate, discuss your experiences over tea afterwards.
Enjoy!
What is your relationship with silence? Please share your comments and experience below. Thank you!
Photo by Kyle Cottrell on Unsplash
I love silence. I go on a silent retreat every year and I love the sense of community that is built up between us in the silence. I learnt to meditate in the early 70s, and with a few lapses I have meditated ever since. I put my good health down to this practice. Whenever I feel myself getting uptight, or my mind is racing, or I am emotionally upset, I sit down for a few minutes to meditate until my equilibrium is restored. In our current world, slightly insane to my mind,I think that the practice of meditation provides us with an invaluable tool.Apart from its practical benefits, of course,it is a profound spiritual practice.
Thank you, Julia,for this. I do so agree with everything you say.
That’s wonderful to hear Daphne, good for you. I couldn’t agree more about meditation as a profound spiritual practice that provides tangible benefits as an invaluable tool for conscious and creative living. The more conscious we can all be, the more we can contribute to the great awakening that is so important at this time; not just through what we do in the world but through being who we truly are and not getting caught up in the narrative that’s currently being spun at the highest levels! Thank you for sharing your valuable experience.
Thank you, Julia, for highlighting the gifts of silence. I love silence and require some every day. I love my time socializing but find my renewal and refreshment in those silent moments when I look out at my tree or watch the humming birds or the clouds~~or close my eyes and sit quietly.
My mind is always busy and my thoughts,like children, need me to say: Be Still, just for a little while.
Hi Helen, I’m absolutely with you in requiring some silence every day and finding renewal therein. Thoughts are indeed like children and need reminding that being calm and still is a blissful balance to all the busyness and activity. Thanks for sharing a glimpse into your experience of life.
Learning how to be silent with someone else, happily, companionably, sharing peace is one of the greatest gifts of love. Not needing to do or say anything.
Thank you Lesley, that’s such an important point and I absolutely agree with all that you say. Unfortunately the “norm” for so many people is to fill the silence with constant conversation which misses the gift of sharing companiable silence and peace with someone else as one of the most important facets on the diamond of love. Thanks again for sharing this significant reminder.
Speech is Silver but Silence is….
Absolutely!