Noise! And more noise! Traffic noise, people noise.
Does silence have a place in society anymore?
Some years ago, I participated in a 10-day Vipassana silent retreat where eye contact was also discouraged.
I couldn’t believe the noise in my head from all my chatter.
I remember thinking to myself “I am here to be in silence and the chatter in my head is louder than when I am in conversation”.
My office is located on a busy intersection, the noise is continuous and sometimes deafening.
The supermarkets have music.
The shopping malls are filled with music.
Some homes have the television on all day or music playing.
The Dr surgery has a huge video screen with the news playing all day long.
Cafés have music.
I observe people filling the silence with empty words.
Gone are the days when silence was the norm.
I believe staying in the noise keeps us safe.
Safe from our own thoughts, our self-doubts our shortcomings.
The noise stops reflection, what’s that saying, “Stop and let me think”.
I have observed the noise stopping the conversation and the connection between individuals.
What might happen if we allow the silence to fill the gaps instead of meaningless words filling the gaps?
Would we be left with ourselves, our own thinking looking at our own flaws, warts, and all.
I believe sitting in our own silence confronts who we are and what we are thinking.
What would we reveal about ourselves to ourselves?
In the silence, we may discover what matters most to us.
What I have found is silence is not so common, it is a bit like common sense it isn’t common anymore.
I find myself seeking silence.
I find myself yearning for those silent moments to be still.
For me, the magic happens in the silence.
Silence provides, reflection time, time for me to consider, how I feel, and what I think.
It allows time to stand still.
I like to sit with my clients and allow the silence to flow between us.
Some find this process uncomfortable and some find it excruciating.
I believe staying the course of the silence allows the client to dig that little bit deeper, go within and discover for themselves what they are experiencing in their lives and their business.
I love working in the silence as there is so much more to what we say.
To be comfortable with the silence you need to be comfortable in your own skin.
You need to be prepared to face your demons.
Being able to sit with the silence takes more of who we truly are than when we are filling the space with chatter.
The Author Kahlil Gibran says.
“You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts.”
The silence allows me to re-calibrate my system.
Allow the silence and see what it reveals to you..