silence as a practice
Four months, four countries, and many chapters. I visited ancient tea forests, began working on a documentary project that I have been manifesting for years, had profound beautiful moments in nature, and learned some difficult life lessons. I found myself exhausted by things that were meant to feel restful, and found rest and healing in the most unexpected ways.
Sometimes we plan something out that feels perfectly aligned and it completely blows up in our face. That is what happened to me.
How do we show up when we are confronted with these situations? This is the true practice.
For me, the biggest takeaway was silence. There are so many things competing for our attention. We are bombarded everyday by thoughts, ideas and opinions that come from the world around us. We search for teachers and guides that will help us along the path.
Our mind exhausts itself trying to sort through all of this information. Emotions are born out of ideas from someone else’s mind and then these emotions gnaw at our own wellbeing.
When we do accidentally find ourselves in a quiet moment, we often seek to fill it immediately. When do we have time to just sit quietly and watch the river flow by?
I think that the answer to every question, every worry and every struggle can be found in silence. The truth is that the mind is always fluctuating and changing. When we give our thoughts space, they can flow naturally. We learn that every thought does not have to be shared, to be heard. Most can just come and go.
Silence allows us to let go. Letting go makes space for peace. When we are at peace, it touches those around us. The peace expands. It is that simple.
I found that developing a daily silence practice can be very healing. That is why meditation works so well! But traditional meditation is not for everyone. Daily silence can also be a mindful walk, sitting in your garden, a quiet moment with a warm cup of tea in your hand, just sitting still and observing the breath as it comes and goes. Whatever it is, leave your phone in another room, turn off music and TV. Just be with the silence and observe what emerges.
Discover how silence can change your life.