“True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment” – William Penn

How often do you sit in silence? Wallow in it? Cocoon in it? Friends who know me well, know that at times I cocoon. It is hard to reach me. I don’t immediately respond. I find this quiet, contemplative time to often be when I am at the edge of loss, in the void between it and the growth within me or around me of something new. I know it, I feel it – and so I quiet myself. It is not with meditations, or mantras, or yoga – although all fine methods of centering yourself – for me it is letting the feeling flow through me without words, without judgement or need for dilution. In the silence, I let my soul speak, and I don’t interrupt.

Most often, I am uncomfortable in this silence, but after years of tirelessly looking for distractions instead of feeling, I’ve learned to trust and allow this process to flow, as if it, and only it, produces vital seeds of planting that will flourish. The Simon & Garfunkel tune “Sound of Silence” resonates of this ability of discovery within silence with these lyrics that speak to “vision and seeds planted while sleeping”:

Hello darkness, my old friend I’ve come to talk with you again Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains Within the sound of silence

When you feel like answers are eluding you, or you are in search for a direction to take, my encouragement to you is to sit in silence. Silence will allow feelings to begin to surface. Feel them, hold them, love them, love you. Take this time to acknowledge whatever it is you are struggling with. Let the silence allow you to listen to the still voice inside of you. It is there, waiting for your audience. “The vision is planted in your brain”, imprinted there for your soul’s eyes to see.

As I’ve gotten older, I have learned to really lean in to the silencing I need, to stay still, to revel in the knowing through experience that my life is unfolding as it should. Silence allows me, not to be un-blinded to what is ahead, but rather silence allows me to connect with myself in a way that I am convinced and confident that I am in sync with the path my soul would have me take, even if I am uncomfortable at first.

Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavat wrote “Quiet the mind, and the soul will speak.” …

Your soul is waiting for you,
shhhhhhhhhhhhhh,
accept the unexpected gift of silence.