I am always looking for ways to get better results, expanding my way of looking at things and developing a mindset that is open to extraordinary possibilities. It is for this reason that I elected to undertake a day of silence.
Is she losing it?
When I announced my intentions, there were those who were certain that the only way they would be able to stay silent for a whole day was to remove their tongue. Others have done this at a retreat or during a workshop. A few just think I’ve lost it.
I did not go into this thinking it would be hard. I viewed it as an interesting experiment, something that would certain offer me some profound insight if I allowed myself the experience. There were more challenges than I thought and I can say that I have a new view point that I otherwise would never have been open to.
I had preprinted some cards letting people know what I was doing. Then, I would write down anything that would normally be verbalized. Easy enough, solid plan.
That was the plan… this is what happened
Except… I had done a KYSS Wellness retreat and each morning for 21 days after the retreat we are all calling in on a conference call number to declare our wellness goals and cheer each other on. I was hosting the call and couldn’t talk. I prerecorded a segment the night before and played it. But as each member of the group was talking about their goals and accomplishments, I really wanted to jump in and cheer them on. Once I let go of the resistance to staying silent, I found the glow of my pride in the group and what we were doing together gave me a warmth inside. I could feel my heart swelling with love and gratitude and it felt so good.
The Salt Suites was the perfect choice for first stop of the day. Taking a path of looking inward today, the healing air and relaxing sensation just make me feel completely grounded.
I met my husband and our friend Dan for lunch. As usual, I brought my beloved German Shepard Rocky. Rocky is the reason we eat at places with outdoor seating anytime it isn’t raining! When we go out, Rocky gets so much attention. People are drawn to him like a magnet. He has this magnetic personality, really he does! (Maybe I’ll start a Facebook page for him and you will see what I mean.) When people would ask about Rocky, I had to really refrain from bragging about my precious boy! You know how mama’s love to talk about their kids! Lol
Dan is also known to be a bit of a clown and when he started in, it was not easy to hold my tongue and engage in the banter that I have come to enjoy when I am around him!
I tried to stay away from texts, using it as I would a notepad in order to maintain the spirit of what I wanted to accomplish with this day. The afternoon was spent alone, and I found I was more reflective in all the things I was doing.
There were several times when I felt uncomfortable. Times I wanted to reach out and communicate with others and I felt a discomfort as I stopped myself from joining in. So I asked myself, if I have to give up something I enjoy (contributing to a conversation) what can I gain? As soon as I released my desire to do what I wanted, I found that I was able to more carefully observe the way other people interact. The way you can only observe them when you aren’t thinking about what to add to the conversation next.
There were fleeting moments of loneliness, which is funny since I am rarely lonely, even when I am alone.
I noticed more about people, about their reactions and expressions. I felt a little more connected and my daily meditations have never been more focused. I felt more grounded and less in a hurry. My thoughts were clear, and it was a relief not to answer the phone and keep all communications to a minimum, simply communicating with myself.
I noticed myself turning up the music and dancing more, perhaps as a way of being able to express myself in movement where I could not with words.
Most of all, I noticed how hard it is for me not to sing along with songs I love when they come on Pandora or my car radio! Maybe because music is truly a universal language.
