ZenView
Mary Layton
Enjoy the Silence
The first time I experienced silence consciously was when I was 12 years old. I was walking through a beautiful forest with my 16 years old brother. It made me feel special that he chose to take me on a walk with him. I was talking excitedly thinking that I needed to be “interesting” so that he would ask me to go for a walk with him again. He turned to me and said: “Hey, let’s try something new. Let’s be quiet and enjoy the silence. Silence is something very precious.”
For a while I felt embarrassed, but then I noticed that walking silently with my brother was really cool and comfortable.
The sensory experience of the forest and me and my brother in it in an instant became huge and wonderful: the light falling through the trees, the smell of wood and pine needles, the noises of the birds and the sound of our feet touching the soft forest floor. It made me feel more mature and closer to my brother.
Today I know that silence is a great source of strength. You may have experienced something like this. The peaceful look of a cat or dog sitting quietly – can we find such peace? What does it take? Taking time out, away from noises and distractions, away from words will make the mind quieter. Having a little quiet time can come in so many ways. Watching and being in nature, gardening, being creative and certainly having a regular practice of meditation, T’ai Chi or yoga in your life – all these are good ways to enjoy the silence.
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