THE POWER OF SILENCE

(Physical, Mental & Spiritual Benefits of Silence)

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

A Week in Silence

Greetings dear reader. How are you feeling today? What is the state of your mind - are you enjoying it? How do you feel in your body right now? Do you feel open and spacious, worried, joyful, sad , overwhelmed, happy? What’s going on inside of you? When is the last time you really got quiet and checked in? Last week in my silence, I had the chance to do just that - check in. It was all sorts of things with a delicious outcome. I will share more as we go.

As I mentioned in my last post, I spent the last week in silence. I did not call, see or visit with anyone, and I stayed off the phone and computer. I took a lovely walk on the beach to gather some ocean water for my altar. I observed in silence, the sounds of the seagulls and the crashing waves. I took in the beauty of the sand and the driftwood, the rocks and shells, the ocean and the clouds. I collected some trash and some plastic bits I found, an old cigarette butt, a piece of glass and threw them away when I left.

There is a stillness that silence offers, which affords us a deeper connection to our senses and to the world around us, but also the world within us. If you are silent for long enough, you begin to discover where the edge of those two worlds meet. Stay silent for even longer and you will have brief notings of the dissolution of that edge. With practice, the dissolution of separation is welcomed into emergence.

The Benefits of Silence

The benefits of silence are tangible mentally, physically and emotionally ; and naturally very calming for the spirit. Mentally, silence offers us clarity. In silence, the silt of our thoughts (stirred by all our our mental activity) can settle and our mind becomes like a body of pure water - fluid, calm, uninterrupted - transparent. In this state, focus and cognition increase and the racing mind loses steam - such a state fosters growth in the brain.

Besides being relaxing for the brain and mind (two completely different things) silence is also relaxing for the body. In silence your cortisol levels decrease, your muscle tension is reduced and your breathing becomes steady. Silence can also lower your blood pressure, decrease your heart rate , and increase blood circulation in the brain. It is also an effective way to reduce insomnia.

Contemplation & Reflection

Some people are afraid of silence, perhaps because in silence there is no escaping what may float to the surface. In silence it becomes utterly impossible to drown out the noise of your thoughts. People can tend to use external stimulus as a way of avoiding what’s happening on the inside. In silence, that simply isn’t possible. Most of us have an inner critic, I know I sure do. My inner critic attempted to run the show during the first few days of silence, but in the end it went silent as its words fell flat in the embrace of my own self-acceptance.

I notice the more time I spend going inward (being still, witnessing without reacting, strengthening my nurturing inner dialogue) though the programs may still be there, their foothold lessens. These programs are fading as new choices are made. I choose not to believe all my thoughts, I choose silence more often, I chose response over reaction more and more. I am continually learning to discern the difference between a trigger and what’s true in my heart. My inner terrain has become more about how I feel and how I want to feel, versus what I think.

As I see it, life is an ongoing series of spiritual initiations. It takes time to see patterns (the faded and outdated as well as the new), become aware of your growth and really take in the terrain and landscape of your own life. This past week I did a lot of reflecting on the arc of my life so far. A few things stuck out. One - I am in awe of how far I’ve come. Second - I am absolutely amazed at the amount of growth that has taken place in the past year alone. These realizations were born from the stillness and spaciousness within silence. Silence and stillness provide the space for contemplation and reflection.

Distraction

Distraction is part of being a human. It comes in all flavors, shapes and sizes. It can last a short while or a long time, it can be an occasional happening, or a deeply ingrained pattern. I think this topic deserves it’s own post, but let’s tune into it briefly here. What is distraction and where might it stem from? Here are some definitions of distraction I found on dictionary.com :

the act of distracting.

the state of being distracted.

mental distress or derangement:That child will drive me to distraction.

that which distracts, divides the attention, or prevents concentration:The distractions of the city interfere with my studies.

that which amuses, entertains, or diverts; amusement; entertainment:Fishing is his major distraction.

division or disorder caused by dissension; tumult.

The words: divert, distress or derangement, divides the attention, and prevents concentration all grab my attention. When you are alone and in silence, it is much easier to take note of these things as they arise. Noise in itself can be very distracting. Silence allows for a spacious awareness, where your witness can come more to the forefront. When I first planned my week of silence. I had a list of things I wanted to do. I felt the things on that list were all good ways to nurture myself.

From day one I noticed that the list felt like something hanging over my head, something that “I had to do”. It seemed kind of odd to me - why would a list of things to do to nurture myself feel like a burden? The conclusion I came to is that for me, part of silence is stillness, simplicity, not doing, but being. I felt the list made too much busyness and did not allow me to really slow down and get quiet inside. So I opted not to follow the to do list. For me there is a proverbial to do list every day and I truly needed a break from that.

All of this is to say that I believe silence is multifaceted. It is not merely the absence of sound. It is the absence, of too much doing - it includes stillness: not only within , but without. I could have been silent but busy. I could have been silent, but hanging out online. Silence is not merely the absence of words, it is also the absence of distraction.

“In silence there is great stillness and in stillness a great silence. In the presence of both, the witness appears. In the company of the witness we are invited to drop into the space of non-duality.” - Julie Pershin

Making Space for Silence

The week of silence I gave to myself was a precious gift. I gained clarity and insight, and a deeper reverence and compassion for myself. It also allowed my body (especially my central nervous system) mind and spirit to enter a space of peace and well-being. It is often said the real practice happens when you leave the meditation cushion and set about to live your daily life and do “ all the things” (as they say in contemporary jargon).

It’s only the third day out, but I have definitely noticed a devoted intention and follow through to keep the peace I found while silent. So far so good. I am a strong advocate for as much silence as we can possibly garner. It could be the first five minutes of your day - a mini meditation in bed before those feet touch the ground. It may be twenty minutes in the yard while you water your garden. It could be in your parked car during lunch or after work. Whenever it is, I guarantee, the more you make room for it, the more you will want to.

There is nothing more precious I can think of than silence in nature, so shoot for that too. We descend from spirit into matter and then from matter back to spirit. Wouldn’t it be helpful if we use our silence to learn to go between the two until we cease to see the separation? From oneness we came and to oneness we shall return. We are learning to become non-dual beings in an illusory world of duality. As long as we’re dreaming, let’s make it a good one!