For many years, I drove a car without a radio or CD player. Every drive took place in silence. Now, I find that I still enjoy the calming effects of spending my brief commutes in quiet.
In a recent article, Elisha Goldstein notes that even five minutes of silence each day has significant effects on well-being and stress. She says, “It’s not only a mindful act, but a self-compassionate act too.”
What if you gave yourself five minutes of silence every day?
Now, to be clear, “silence” or “quiet” does not mean the absence of noise. I’ve been in one of those rooms before – no echo, near-absolute silence where screams are barely heard. It’s creepy.
Our moments of quiet refer not to the silence out there but to the silence within. We still our souls, give mindful attention to the present, and relish the solitude.
Silence has been described as “a gift in our noisy world.” It’s not marked by absence of thought, rather it becomes “a way of knowing in itself” (Center for Courage & Renewal). Silence, quiet, and solitude become breeding grounds for compassion, empathy, and forgiveness.
So, give yourself some silence today. Enjoy it. And let it open you to more of yourself.
Quote
Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undistorted. Only in a quiet mind is adequate perception of the world. Hans Margolius
Web
Enjoy Elisha Goldstein’s brief article on “What Five Minutes of Silence Can Do for Your Brain” (read now).
What if you gave yourself five minutes of silence every day?
Now, to be clear, “silence” or “quiet” does not mean the absence of noise. I’ve been in one of those rooms before – no echo, near-absolute silence where screams are barely heard. It’s creepy.
Our moments of quiet refer not to the silence out there but to the silence within. We still our souls, give mindful attention to the present, and relish the solitude.
Silence has been described as “a gift in our noisy world.” It’s not marked by absence of thought, rather it becomes “a way of knowing in itself” (Center for Courage & Renewal). Silence, quiet, and solitude become breeding grounds for compassion, empathy, and forgiveness.
So, give yourself some silence today. Enjoy it. And let it open you to more of yourself.
Quote
Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undistorted. Only in a quiet mind is adequate perception of the world. Hans Margolius
Web
Enjoy Elisha Goldstein’s brief article on “What Five Minutes of Silence Can Do for Your Brain” (read now).
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