In the silence, I rediscover who I am.
J. Francis
We are living in an ever-changing world and there are times when we feel that our life is not in our control. At times, we have too many options, and other times we are left with no choice, so we struggle to match up to this pressure of life we have created.
In the midst of all this, we secretly long for a life which is simpler. It’s not an uncanny wish to run away from all these responsibilities — self-created or imposed. And taking vacations in the mountains close to nature is therapeutic for a few days or weeks.
Staying in complete silence for days brings clarity, helps in channelising power of our mind and expands our knowledge about life. After all, the quality of our outer life is, in many ways, a reflection of the quality of our inner life.
According to neuroscience, our brain waves operate on four patterns — beta, alpha, theta and delta, where beta is the most active brainwave pattern and delta is the slowest. All these brainwave patterns are present in varying degrees in each one of us. Studies have shown that meditation (silence) increases delta pattern, thus a person with high delta brain wave would be more relaxed and at peace than a stressed person .
When we spend some time in quiet, we become closely acquainted with the workings of our mind. We waste a lot of time talking about things which are irrelevant and spend hours cribbing, but by practising silence, we learn the importance of our words and time.
Simplicity, honesty, gratitude, nature, body and expression are other important things we learn when we allow our minds to stay quiet.
Surrendering to silence can be an everyday act for few hours or going into silence for few days on a stretch. Some people have included sitting in silence and meditating in their everyday routine.
There are others who stay silent for days, which can range from one day to 21 days. During their silent days, they communicate through hand gestures and writing. They go about their daily routines without speaking.
If your lifestyle doesn’t allow you to remain silent for days, then start with few minutes or hours. Tips for you:
* Fix a time every day and do it at the same time.
* Try to create your little sanctuary/place to sit.
* You can light incense and dim the lights.
* You can keep your eyes open or closed, try to bring in a state of thoughtlessness.
Initially there will be lot of distraction, as different thoughts, people and experiences will keep coming in your mind. Don’t resist and face them, and let them go away. With practice these thoughts will decrease.
Staying in silence brings in more courage and strength, but it’s therapeutic too. When we lean into the pain, we learn that what seems unbearable in the moment becomes bearable when we stop resisting it. Silence is like pure healing light, when we go in silence we surrender to this pure white light. After soaking in these calming and peaceful energies we return refreshed and healed.
The writer is a clairvoyant
