The Practice of Silence

I’d like to share something that I do regularly and some here might find a benefit in.

Life can be noisy, complicated, messy, busy.... and I really feel that silence itself is often underestimated; I underestimated it.

It can feel, to those who don’t or can’t meditate, that meditation is this difficult thing that is supposed to be really great for us but just inspires frustration instead.

What I like about actively being silent is that it’s not really meditation… you don’t have to clear your thoughts, you don’t have to focus on your breathing, there’s no ‘nirvana’ at the end of it (or maybe there is, except it doesn’t matter to the practice! )

If you’d like to see if silence helps then you can try these stages:

• Find somewhere comfortable. You can sit, stand, lay, or even lean if you want. You don’t need a special room; you can do it sitting on your sofa, laying on your bed, or while standing outside having a cigarette break.
• Get into the feeling of the silence. Where you are doesn’t have to be silent (although it definitely helps), but you should be. The people I spend time with call it ‘settling’ into the silence. Recognise the absence of noise, become aware of how you feel, the position you’re in.
• Spend time in the silence. You can do it for 5 minutes, or you can go for an hour (but if you want to do that you might want to build up to it). If you are thinking about something, then take time to consider whether it’s important. If it’s not then let it go. If it is, then you might consider more time on it. This time in silence is much a time of contemplation.
• If something moves you, feel free to write it down for later.

Regarding stage 3, a lady I respect calls this time in the silence ‘waiting’. I think of it as ‘waiting for the truth to move me’. In that silence you’re giving yourself and your mind space for ‘truth’ to come through.

The truth that comes through to you that moves you could be about anything. Sometimes I use a book like ‘Meditations’ to find a paragraph that really speaks to me, and then I will start my contemplation from there. Other times I'll just watch the light on the wall refracted through the glass until something comes to me.

And if you feel without finding the words… that is perfectly fine as well

There are a few pointers that I have from my practice…

• You don’t have to be feeling good. Taking yourself out of the commotion of the day to spend some time in silence can actually help to make you feel better.
• If you can, try and think of yourself as part of the whole of life. When you are silent, you become part of the underlying silence (if that makes any sense).
• Do what you’re comfortable with. I don’t have quite as much leeway in group (silence is always an hour), but on your own you can go for as long or as short as you want. Over time, I found that when alone I often end up spending a lot more time silent than I had first expected.

Doing the above has made silence an important and functional part of my life.

If anyone has any questions then you're very welcome to ask them

(P.s. Knights... I'm pretty sure I wrote this as a lesson in the lesson bank )

I have done this and can vouch for how awesome it is. It is something that I do when I feel like something is wrong and I can't figure out what exactly it is or when meditating just doesn't feel like it's "working."

This is a very Buddhist practice

The monks I studied with explained to me that the Buddhist concept of "emptiness" is not simply a state nothingness, but of potentiality. Of being ready to receive enlightement/truth.

It's a great way of calming the mind - consciously creating a space for potential.

Im beggining with this practice, really help but i cant do it for more that 10 minutes , any advice to not get distracted and get more minutes of silence and meditation. Any help or comment will be of great help

Albali Cometlast wrote: Im beggining with this practice, really help but i cant do it for more that 10 minutes , any advice to not get distracted and get more minutes of silence and meditation. Any help or comment will be of great help

Don't worry too much about distraction or doing it for a long time. The more you do it the easier it will be and the easier you'll find it to go longer. There's no goal here for length of time, just do what you are comfortable with.

Great exercise!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLfCnGVeL4

Albali Cometlast wrote: Im beggining with this practice, really help but i cant do it for more that 10 minutes , any advice to not get distracted and get more minutes of silence and meditation. Any help or comment will be of great help

Some of the best advice I've ever heard regarding meditation and silence comes from Ron Swanson of Parks and Recreation. He said, "Don't try so hard."

It's much harder than it sounds but there is great truth in it. I frequently actively try to quiet my mind which is actually doing something. That is most likely going to lead to poor meditation or silence. Just let things flow and eventually your mind will quiet itself.

Edan wrote: I’d like to share something that I do regularly and some here might find a benefit in.

Life can be noisy, complicated, messy, busy.... and I really feel that silence itself is often underestimated; I underestimated it.

It can feel, to those who don’t or can’t meditate, that meditation is this difficult thing that is supposed to be really great for us but just inspires frustration instead.

What I like about actively being silent is that it’s not really meditation… you don’t have to clear your thoughts, you don’t have to focus on your breathing, there’s no ‘nirvana’ at the end of it (or maybe there is, except it doesn’t matter to the practice! )

If you’d like to see if silence helps then you can try these stages:

• Find somewhere comfortable. You can sit, stand, lay, or even lean if you want. You don’t need a special room; you can do it sitting on your sofa, laying on your bed, or while standing outside having a cigarette break.
• Get into the feeling of the silence. Where you are doesn’t have to be silent (although it definitely helps), but you should be. The people I spend time with call it ‘settling’ into the silence. Recognise the absence of noise, become aware of how you feel, the position you’re in.
• Spend time in the silence. You can do it for 5 minutes, or you can go for an hour (but if you want to do that you might want to build up to it). If you are thinking about something, then take time to consider whether it’s important. If it’s not then let it go. If it is, then you might consider more time on it. This time in silence is much a time of contemplation.
• If something moves you, feel free to write it down for later.

Regarding stage 3, a lady I respect calls this time in the silence ‘waiting’. I think of it as ‘waiting for the truth to move me’. In that silence you’re giving yourself and your mind space for ‘truth’ to come through.

The truth that comes through to you that moves you could be about anything. Sometimes I use a book like ‘Meditations’ to find a paragraph that really speaks to me, and then I will start my contemplation from there. Other times I'll just watch the light on the wall refracted through the glass until something comes to me.

And if you feel without finding the words… that is perfectly fine as well

There are a few pointers that I have from my practice…

• You don’t have to be feeling good. Taking yourself out of the commotion of the day to spend some time in silence can actually help to make you feel better.
• If you can, try and think of yourself as part of the whole of life. When you are silent, you become part of the underlying silence (if that makes any sense).
• Do what you’re comfortable with. I don’t have quite as much leeway in group (silence is always an hour), but on your own you can go for as long or as short as you want. Over time, I found that when alone I often end up spending a lot more time silent than I had first expected.

Doing the above has made silence an important and functional part of my life.

If anyone has any questions then you're very welcome to ask them

(P.s. Knights... I'm pretty sure I wrote this as a lesson in the lesson bank )

Yes i did that lesson , very enlighting , i started with 2 minutes by the way , i am on 10 now , so thats how long it can take endurance

MartaLina wrote: Yes i did that lesson , very enlighting , i started with 2 minutes by the way , i am on 10 now , so thats how long it can take endurance

I'm glad to hear that someone is doing it

Edan wrote:

MartaLina wrote: Yes i did that lesson , very enlighting , i started with 2 minutes by the way , i am on 10 now , so thats how long it can take endurance

I'm glad to hear that someone is doing it

Yes your lessons are valuable ! I think i will pass it on as well when i make it to Knighthood its one of the more frustrating and yet satisfactionary lessons ! Frustration yet Satisfaction so to say :laugh: