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Be Quiet
In the journal Science it was reported back in 2007 that men and women both speak an average of 16,000 words per day. It makes me tired to even think of all those words and for good reason: after all haven't each of us at some point felt talked out, winded and tired of our own voice?
In a recent executive coaching session, I suggested to marketing maven Elizabeth Talerman that rather than talk the entire time we had together and get lost in the flurry of ideas and words, we use a portion of our time in silence as we walked around the reservoir in New York's Central Park. The results: she says the time in intentional silence gave her "complete restoration of calm. It quieted the thoughts blowing and bustling around my brain so I emerged with a sense of clarity and order". All that in a 15 minute period simply intentionally walking in silence - what a bargain! By giving up words, she gained a sense of inner calm.
Give yourself a dose of inner calm. Try these ways of listening to the sounds of silence within the course of your day:
Silent Morning: See what it is like to get ready for the day in absolute silence. Rather than turning on the TV or music, try listening to the music of morning itself. Whether you live in a rural environment or surrounded by city sounds, by attuning yourself to the rhythms you hear there is a synchronizing of your own energy with that of the world around. Set a limit to when you will begin to indulge in aural distraction again either as speech, TV, music or radio, and before you take the plunge check in with yourself to see how you feel after having been silent.
Silent Meal: Many spiritual lineages include practicing silence at mealtimes. The ability to be fully present to the colors, flavors and textures of your food can deepen your appreciation of each mouthful, and increase your enjoyment in the process. Aside from the potential of satisfying your hunger with less, the benefit of calming your nervous system with a single point of focus is a sweet reward for this practice - so sweet you might just skip dessert!
Silent Walk: The idea of taking a walk alone in silence is certainly not a foreign concept. But have you taken a walk with the intention to be silent and the observation of that silence? Try it - even right now - go walk around your office or home intentionally observing the experience. What do you notice? How does it feel? What happens to your nervous system?
Silent Break: Have a particularly noisy work environment? Slip into a conference room or other private space at work and take a 10 minute silence break. Be creative to find a good place to practice this - my old boss used to sneak out to his car to get a few minutes of silence. Once there, simply sit and observe the stillness all around you. If you feel uncomfortable or fidgety at first, stick with it for the full 10 minutes. Keep reminding yourself to relax and be, surrendering to the silence and stillness.
Be sure to share the radical power of silence by inviting your family or a friend to experience silence with you in any of the above practices. Think about it: we usually say we want to get together and talk, but the intimacy of shared silence is often the most satisfying way to spend time together. Got kids? Great, make it a game for them. Let me know how it goes!
Be well,
Tevis
Related Topics:
In a recent executive coaching session, I suggested to marketing maven Elizabeth Talerman that rather than talk the entire time we had together and get lost in the flurry of ideas and words, we use a portion of our time in silence as we walked around the reservoir in New York's Central Park. The results: she says the time in intentional silence gave her "complete restoration of calm. It quieted the thoughts blowing and bustling around my brain so I emerged with a sense of clarity and order". All that in a 15 minute period simply intentionally walking in silence - what a bargain! By giving up words, she gained a sense of inner calm.
Give yourself a dose of inner calm. Try these ways of listening to the sounds of silence within the course of your day:
Silent Morning: See what it is like to get ready for the day in absolute silence. Rather than turning on the TV or music, try listening to the music of morning itself. Whether you live in a rural environment or surrounded by city sounds, by attuning yourself to the rhythms you hear there is a synchronizing of your own energy with that of the world around. Set a limit to when you will begin to indulge in aural distraction again either as speech, TV, music or radio, and before you take the plunge check in with yourself to see how you feel after having been silent.
Silent Meal: Many spiritual lineages include practicing silence at mealtimes. The ability to be fully present to the colors, flavors and textures of your food can deepen your appreciation of each mouthful, and increase your enjoyment in the process. Aside from the potential of satisfying your hunger with less, the benefit of calming your nervous system with a single point of focus is a sweet reward for this practice - so sweet you might just skip dessert!
Silent Walk: The idea of taking a walk alone in silence is certainly not a foreign concept. But have you taken a walk with the intention to be silent and the observation of that silence? Try it - even right now - go walk around your office or home intentionally observing the experience. What do you notice? How does it feel? What happens to your nervous system?
Silent Break: Have a particularly noisy work environment? Slip into a conference room or other private space at work and take a 10 minute silence break. Be creative to find a good place to practice this - my old boss used to sneak out to his car to get a few minutes of silence. Once there, simply sit and observe the stillness all around you. If you feel uncomfortable or fidgety at first, stick with it for the full 10 minutes. Keep reminding yourself to relax and be, surrendering to the silence and stillness.
Be sure to share the radical power of silence by inviting your family or a friend to experience silence with you in any of the above practices. Think about it: we usually say we want to get together and talk, but the intimacy of shared silence is often the most satisfying way to spend time together. Got kids? Great, make it a game for them. Let me know how it goes!
Be well,
Tevis
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Labels: balance, clarity, peace, relaxation, silence, stress reduction
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