I’ve begun to realize that you can listen to silence and learn from it.
It has a quality and a dimension all its own.
You have probably had a few times in your life when you have felt tired, overloaded, or just plain out of gas. You suddenly realize that you have come to the place where you feel like you’re just getting up and going through the required motions day in and day out, only to begin again the next morning. When you feel this way there are many things you can do to bring yourself back to life, to re-vitalize yourself.
Have you ever considered using a little silence to recharge your physical and emotional states? Planning to have some real silence in your life, at least every day or two, can be a great way to renew and refresh yourself. Because noise is all around you all the time you’ve probably become accustomed to the constant assault on your ears. The problem is that this also sucks away your energy and negatively affects you.
Here are some ways that you can use the positive effects of peace and quiet to reinvigorate your life.
1. Plan Time
Plan a time for your silent retreat. Thirty minutes is an effective amount of tranquility to experience every day. If you’re not sure you can deal with peace and quiet for a full thirty minutes, start slowly with about fifteen minutes.
2. Plan the activity
Think about how you’ll spend your quiet time. Activities like browsing a recipe book, reading or scanning the morning paper are appropriate ways to spend time without noise.
3. Meditation – Formal or Informal
Consider trying some type of meditative experience during your tranquil times. Sitting and thinking about something that brings you joy is a wonderful way to use your noiseless moments. Recalling the last time that you spent with your best friend or thinking about what you want to improve within yourself are also wonderful ways to spend your episodes of silence. This time is designed to be relaxing, not a time for getting all wound up in planning.
4. Muscle Relaxation
Engage in muscle relaxation to truly get in touch with your body and your ability to relax during your quiet times. Progressive relaxation, where you alternate between tensing and relaxing each of the muscle groups will fit in nicely with your episodes of peace.
5. Notice
Enjoy the silence. Concentrate on the lack of noise. Notice even the smallest sounds, like the refrigerator humming or gurgling, or the tree branches brushing lightly against the side of the house. Notice the sounds of nature, whether its the wind, the rain, or the frogs and birds chattering to one another. These are probably sounds you wouldn’t normally hear, but you can hear and appreciate them now.
6. Expand The Time
Gradually increase the duration of your episodes of silence as you wish, and as you find them beneficial. When you begin making it a point to experience silence daily, you will be surprised how much you enjoy it. You’ll realize you’ve been craving the wonderful feelings of renewal that only silence can bring you.
7. Detach More
Feel free to detach further from your music and the television. Being still with just yourself, your thoughts, reading or quiet hobbies will refresh you in ways that other types of rest will not.
Conclusion:
Be kind to yourself. Learn to be gentler with yourself. Carve some moments out of your hectic schedule on a regular basis to experience the joys and rejuvenating power of silence. Infusing period of silence into your everyday life can bring feelings of calm, patience and rest. You’ll also decrease your level of stress as you increase your sense of well-being, joy and comfort. Go ahead and take some quiet time now. You’ll be amazed. You’ll thank me.
Thoughts?
photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/h-k-d/3729254711/sizes/m/in/photostream/
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