“The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.” - Rumi
The Sound of Silence
When I think of silence, I think of isolation. I think of being surrounded by nothing but nature. I think of meditation. And those are wonderful things, no doubt, but silence is more than that. I think silence is choosing not to fill the room with unnecessary background noise. I think silence is choosing to listen to the person speaking. I think silence is deciding that what you wanted to say won’t add anything to the conversation.
As my life in quarantine has become quieter, I’ve found myself filling the space with more and more sound. I’ve found myself talking more on social media. My meditation practice has become weaker.
Studies have shown that silence relaxes the body, affecting blood pressure and muscle tension. Regular exposure to silence has been shown to make people better listeners, and even allow mice to develop new brain cells.
So, my challenge for myself, and you, is to spend more time in quiet this month. Instead of reaching for music as soon as I sit in the car, give myself a few minutes to just listen to the silence. Rumi says the quiet has much to say. Let’s give it a chance to speak.
New Releases
Join us in celebrating our authors' recent releases! Congrats to:
Elizabeth Buhmann, Accidents of Life
Piper Lawson, A Love Song for Rebels
Piper Lawson, A Love Song for Dreamers
CD Reiss, Collection: A Jonathan and Monica Shorts Anthology
Tao Wong, Stars Asunder
Until next month, stay safe, keep cool, and take care of yourselves and each other!