I have learned to love silence. I try to set up one day of the weekend that I don't talk to people, I don't turn on the TV, radio, or music. I can go out into crowds as long as I am not interacting. It's like being invisible. I used to hate it; now I love it. I have found that I work much better the following week if I allow quiet to rule one day of the weekend.
Recently, a good friend took a Jesuit Weekend Retreat of silence. She has done this for years and finds great grounding in them. There is someone to facilitate, with a few group meeting and exercises to follow, but you don't have to do anything. The woman leading the retreat says that it is better to follow your own inclination, to get the best benefit from the silence. The retreat reminded my friend how much noise bombards us everyday. I agree.
I think I naturally fell into my day of silence after nearly working myself to exhaustion. I finally learned at 50+ that there will always be things to do but time for quiet is rare. Cherish it. Many more disciplined minds than mine would probably mediate. I'm not very good at that in a traditional sense. For me, honoring the silence, or more aptly indulging myself, is like bathing in a hot bath you don't want to leave.
First: I don't plan anything. I spontaneously live the day.
Second: Nothing is out of bounds: I can sit, I can go to the movies (breaking silence, but still indulging myself). I find that as I get better at silence, I don't need or seek a diversion like a movie, but anything I want to do is what I will do.
Third: I move slowly. This is one of my favorite discoveries. As I live such a fast paced life, I love the luxury of slow, methodical movement.
Fourth: There is no waste in doing nothing. I think as biological creatures, we are getting sicker because we allow ourselves no down time, no wasting of time. If we take a vacation, we think we must go and do, do, do. We will cross the world for the luxury of laying in a hammock. Live now. Do nothing for a while.
Five: I let my mind wander and indulge any topic. It is my sort of meditation. I visualize opening a gate and letting my thoughts run free.
I find myself smiling a lot on my free zone/silence days. I seem more adjusted at work the following week, pressure bothers me less because I have finally learned the lesson of balance.
Go someplace and just spend a little time with you.
Jann
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