“Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in life has purpose.”
– Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
Our lives are so busy. Perhaps not every culture is like this, but here in America, we push ourselves to do More, More, More! Countless articles and books have been written about the art and challenge of multi-tasking, the incredible demands that are placed on us with 24/7 email, mobile devices, social media, etc. I began working at my first job after college before email was commonplace. Do you remember? (or Can you imagine?) We would print MEMOS and put them in each person’s mailbox slot. They would read it at their convenience (or not). There was less expectation of everything having to be done NOW.
Today, of course, we fill our time to overflowing. If you find yourself waiting in line or stuck at a traffic light or sitting on a subway, do you reach for your smart phone to check email, read the news headlines or play a quick game? When you’re in your car, do you ever NOT have music or an audio recording of some kind playing? Do you ever take time to listen to the silence?
I believe sometimes we distract ourselves with noise. We aren’t ready to feel what we know is below the surface or to admit to ourselves that we aren’t happy. We come home from a non-stop day at work and immediately turn on the TV. Perhaps the only time we experience silence is right before we go to sleep. And then we wonder why we can’t fall asleep! Our mind runs through the endless task lists and the “don’t forget to’s” and we don’t give a name to the yearning feeling beneath it all.
I am still learning the art of doing nothing. I have found that meditation — like exercise — brings me great benefits, even if I can only do it for short periods of time. Some is better than none.
I invite you to try to sit with yourself for 3-5 minutes. Just breathe. Try to quiet your task-driven mind chatter and feel the breath entering your body, expanding your lungs and then moving out again. You will gain more connection with your inner self, your soul, at the very least. And if you can make this a practice and find the courage to listen to your feelings, you can gather additional guidance to the longings of your heart.
This is wonderfully written, Emily, and so timely for the back-to-school rev up.
My daughter and I do a 10 minute meditation when we wake up – to calm us as we start the day – and then we do a 5 minute meditation right before bed. We notice a “frantic” difference if we skip this practice.
Good for you, Kanesha! What a great way to start and end the day and a wonderful tool to teach your daughter.
I love quiet time. Last night I was all settled in bed with a movie and then I decided to just unplug and go to sleep. Laying in bed, in the dark and the quiet, was so much more peaceful than watching a movie!!