This morning, at the end of the Kundalini Yoga class, we meditated, chanted and focused our intention on tranquility and peace within ourselves, throughout the world and for the universe. Tranquility and peace can be found in stillness and quiet. But not everyone resonates the same way. For some stillness and silence can be scary or intense and they don't equate it with peace.
After class I found myself walking Spirit Lake trail contemplating this issue. I was struck by the natural silence and stillness in this magical place. I sat at the edge of the lake and could not detect any man-made sounds aside from my breath; hearing only the sound of birds, frogs and the wind gently whispering through the leaves.
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It's human activity that creates noise, and lately I have been wondering whether we keep making noise, out of fear for silence and fear of our mental chatter.
“Silence is for bumping into yourself,” a monk tells George Prochnik, the author of “In Pursuit of Silence: Listening for Meaning in a World of Noise,” a meditative exploration published in 2010 about the costs of noise and the benefits of pursuing quiet. How many of us are afraid of "bumping into ourselves" ?
So silence may not necessarily be peaceful, as we become uncomfortably aware of the mental chatter and stories that are downloaded and broadcasted into our inner hearing each second of the day. So many people rather avoid this discomfort and turn up their outside noise and activities, rather than listen to their inner world. This discomfort and fear of silence comes at a cost. Not only a cost on our wallet, but also on our well-being.
With more than half the world’s population living in cities, it seems almost impossible for most people to find some peace and quiet these days. Sadly, street noise, cellphones, and traffic provide a constant soundtrack to most peoples lives.
“Silence is for bumping into yourself,” a monk tells George Prochnik, the author of “In Pursuit of Silence: Listening for Meaning in a World of Noise,” a meditative exploration published in 2010 about the costs of noise and the benefits of pursuing quiet. How many of us are afraid of "bumping into ourselves" ?
So silence may not necessarily be peaceful, as we become uncomfortably aware of the mental chatter and stories that are downloaded and broadcasted into our inner hearing each second of the day. So many people rather avoid this discomfort and turn up their outside noise and activities, rather than listen to their inner world. This discomfort and fear of silence comes at a cost. Not only a cost on our wallet, but also on our well-being.
With more than half the world’s population living in cities, it seems almost impossible for most people to find some peace and quiet these days. Sadly, street noise, cellphones, and traffic provide a constant soundtrack to most peoples lives.
Even on remote Haida Gwaii, we are not immune to the stimulations and sounds of the modern world. We all live under an assault of constant inputs, demands, tedious bureaucratic tasks or requests. The email dinging on your desktop, the text that has to be answered this instant, the Twitter troll you can’t stop yourself from answering — our nervous systems are taxed to the max, it’s no wonder we crave silence.
Silence can be peaceful because it reduces stimulation. And silent places tend to be slower places, inviting us to go within, yet at the same time to connect with the larger world without being overwhelmed.
Silence can be peaceful because it reduces stimulation. And silent places tend to be slower places, inviting us to go within, yet at the same time to connect with the larger world without being overwhelmed.
When it is hard to allow yourself to slow down, to allow yourself silence, then you may want to look at ancient tools and techniques of yoga, meditation and sound healing. Any yoga or meditation practice will lead you to become aware of the mental chatter within, but it also shows a way to be with it, rather than to keep running into busy-ness to escape it.
Ironically, Kundalini Yoga uses a lot of sound tools in order to quiet the mind. Whether we use the vibrations of repetitive mantra, or the sound of the gong; these are very effective tools in order to find a quiet place in the mind.
The gong and chants are excellent for the parasympathetic nervous system, which is ruled by sound. Each of these tools has the power to release us from the torrents of thoughts. The intensity of the sound puts the entire nervous system under pressure to heal itself.
Another way to unwind the mental chatter and to find silence is through practicing Yin Yoga. Yin Yoga is a slow, meditative practice where you may hold poses for a minute or so for beginners to five minutes or more for more advanced practitioners. The idea is to really settle into the pose and let your connective tissues relax. Yin Yoga offers a way to deal with the quiet, with the silence and alone time.
When we're not overwhelmed by our inner thoughts and stories, then we can take in the silence of nature without feeling threatened. We can allow ourselves to slow down and become aware of the peace and quiet that's here, right here, right now:
Ironically, Kundalini Yoga uses a lot of sound tools in order to quiet the mind. Whether we use the vibrations of repetitive mantra, or the sound of the gong; these are very effective tools in order to find a quiet place in the mind.
The gong and chants are excellent for the parasympathetic nervous system, which is ruled by sound. Each of these tools has the power to release us from the torrents of thoughts. The intensity of the sound puts the entire nervous system under pressure to heal itself.
Another way to unwind the mental chatter and to find silence is through practicing Yin Yoga. Yin Yoga is a slow, meditative practice where you may hold poses for a minute or so for beginners to five minutes or more for more advanced practitioners. The idea is to really settle into the pose and let your connective tissues relax. Yin Yoga offers a way to deal with the quiet, with the silence and alone time.
When we're not overwhelmed by our inner thoughts and stories, then we can take in the silence of nature without feeling threatened. We can allow ourselves to slow down and become aware of the peace and quiet that's here, right here, right now:
Could this be a key in 'saving the world'? It seems to be a key for our own well-being and for the well-being of this precious planet.
For now, it’s still possible to find forests, seashores or mountains on Haida Gwaii where you can relax for 15 minutes or more completely free from the clatter of human existence. Let's not take this for granted.
For now, it’s still possible to find forests, seashores or mountains on Haida Gwaii where you can relax for 15 minutes or more completely free from the clatter of human existence. Let's not take this for granted.
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