We are over stimulated. There is too much noise and chaos and information swirling around us at every moment. It is no wonder that we can’t fall asleep or catch our breath or deal with seemingly minor stressors.
Being in the jungle last week made this so much more apparent to me. The juxtaposition was extreme. During the retreat, there were no lights. There was no internet or cell phone reception. There were no sounds of traffic or car alarms or machines running. We even had silent mornings where we didn’t talk to one another until after breakfast. Instead of external entertainment from phones, news, social media, TV, etc., we practiced yoga; wrote in our journals; told stories; shared insights; and marveled at the nature around us. There was a lot of silence and simplicity in the jungle.
What I was able to learn and experience in full immersion was: the less noise there is around us, the more we can settle into ourselves. In silence, we can go deeper and learn more. We can listen and attune our ear to that quiet voice within our hearts that is begging for us to pay attention.
There are a lot of activities we do and noise we create just to fill up the empty space around us. But what if we opened that space and stepped into it? What might we be able to learn or create in the silence that is left after the noise dies down?
Here are some ideas for steps that we can take to cut back on the noise and turn up the silence so that we can connect with ourselves and our hearts at a deeper level:
- Limit screen time. Reduce the amount of time you are in front of a screen, including the TV, computer, mobile devices, and even cameras.
- Lower ambient noise. Cut down on the amount of ambient noise in your home – is the TV on without anyone watching it? Is there music playing that you aren’t really listening to?
- Cut down on stimulants. There is already so much passive information stimulating ours brains and bodies and preventing us from relaxing. So, ease off the stimulants that you actively put into your system, like caffeine and sugar.
- Balance social time with alone time. Relationships and friendships are very important. And so is your relationship to yourself. Take time out of your social calendar to cultivate a loving connection to yourself.
- Talk less, listen more. Listen to the people around you, not so you can figure out what to say next, but to really hear them; to understand what they sharing and how they are expressing what is in their heart.
- Practice yoga. Spend time practicing the type of yoga that allows you to turn the mind down and tune into your body.
- Practice meditation and breathing exercises. Sit with yourself in silence and stillness and see what you can discover.
- Find an independent activity. Do a craft or an activity that brings you mental peace and quiet. Does running do that for you? Or perhaps, writing, gardening, knitting, or another art form? What can you do on your own that evokes peace and contentment?
- Go to nature. Escape out into nature, away from the noise of the city. Listen to the wind in the trees or the splash of waves. Gaze at the stars at night.
Empty space and silence can be uncomfortable, but remember my previous post on leaning into discomfort? It is in that discomfort that we grow and find deep connection. So, lean in, my friend. Step into the space where the noise stops and you begin. Get to know yourself in the silence.