Silence Please !
/The quality of your mind governs the quality of your life.
I recently undertook my first silent meditation retreat in The Pyrenees with The Art of Meditation
Other than the strong draw of an exceptional meditation teacher Guy Burgs, and stunning mountainous setting, I was seduced by the challenge of being silent for a week. More so, how would that really feel to be with yourself with little to do and few distractions. On arrival all technical devices were handed over. For some this might be the first challenge – letting go of all communication with loved ones, your network and information at the tip of your fingers....
The first and last days were open for talking which allowed the group to make enough social connection to settle and to be curious – what's your story ?!
Each day involved meditations, yoga, chi gong and a discourse on techniques to help us settle and organise our minds. We were reminded of the three human states: suffering, coping and flourishing and encouraged to adopt a greater sense of equanimity
Silence please ! Time to develop some vertical growth and how it feels to be truly alive ! Detox the mind from our digital lives of over stimulation, rediscover a sense of inner calm. Learn how to sit quietly.... This is what I signed up for...
The reality of being quiet ?
Like anything new the 'honeymoon' period of silence presents social challenge as you're not engaging in conditioned words like thank you when someone holds the door open for you, or sharing moments of beauty, enquiry or reaching out to another for reasurance when in need of advise or compassion. The monkey mind and beginners mind starts leaping, dancing, jumping, looking for non verbal distractions ! My lifestyle currently involves moving around teaching yoga from place to place, preparing and taking food from place to place and by nature I'm a 'do-er'....So, doing very little was a greater challenge than not speaking. I found being quiet a relief as it freed me of making small talk and the distractions of other peoples stories, opinions and politics ! Silence offers you the space to observe thoughts, emotions and feelings at a deeper level making self confrontation almost impossible to avoid ! . By being quiet, other senses start to perk up: enhanced sense of smell and taste, colours become more vivd, sounds from nature more musical, attention to detail seems more effortless . This all sounds wonderful and it was, however there were times of frustration, negativity, questionings and uncertainty....all part of the journey.
However the cocktail of knowledgeable teachings, silence, meditation, yoga and chi gong made way for a positive, restorative and hugely memorable experience.
At the very start of the retreat before entering silence, I heard a few people say ' I've come to switch off. I came to switch on....another step forward towards enriching my life.
Observations and Benefits:
- An organised mind can deliver greater levels of mental energy.
- A calm less cluttered mind can enhance our experience of lifes pleasures and give us a real connection to what it means to be alive
- Reducing stimulation, free from electronic devices, tv, reading material, thoughts slow down so focus increases for meditation
- Increased awareness gives us a etter chance of finding the truth of ourselves
- A strong reminder that we're all in a state of flux so accepting things as they are, develpoing equanimity
- Happiness :awakening to the fact that real harmony and peace comes from within- you may know this but to put time aside to actually feel this brings a sense of relief, release and lightness.
- Appreciation and grattitude – the simple essence of being a human – the range of emotions, the 5 senses, those we love and care for are all such a gift
- Self acceptance – learning to love ourselves unconditionally
- Listenng – not just to our inner voice but to those around us – how many people compete for air space rather than listen...
