Silence, A Great Return on Investment

Silence has a sweet taste. Silence feels feather light in my body. Silence is the gift of contentment.

Silence wasn't always like this for me.

My first introduction to being silent was at the age of 16 going on 17, when I checked in to the Vipassana center in Igatpuri, India as my last shot at trying to be able to live with my mind.

At that time silence felt like being in a bad neighbourhood, full of fear, never knowing what thought or memory or fear was going to creep up on me. Silence felt like abandonment. Silence felt lonely. Silence felt very loud.

I know what that feels like. I still remember it clearly.

That experience was a catalyst that led me to the one I can now access.

In less than a week, I will be facilitating Silence Speaks, a silence and digital detox retreat here in the Cayman Islands, my contribution to giving people a guided experience of silence. I was thinking of everyone else I'd like to share these little gems with, so here is a little blog post.

Today, I'm sharing 5 practices to cultivate and enjoy silence:

• Practicing contentment: Contentment is gratitude in action. Contentment is a skill to develop, to actively focus on. How? By appreciating all that is present, acknowledging it by writing or non-verbally.

• Soften judgment: When we judge, we hurt ourselves the most. Yes, please read that again. I write these words from years of experience. In the words of Daniel Kahneman "Wherever there is judgment, there is noise". When you notice judgment of others arising, ask this question of yourself "When have I done this before"? When you judge yourself, acknowledge the power of the free will Source has given you to shift and fill with appreciation for it. (Regular practice of breathing or meditation practices makes this easier).

• Consciously avoid distraction: When we focus on too much or on the unnecessary, it's a recipe for mental noise. (Do you need to know what everyone teaches on social media or every piece of news when it's breaking?) Keep your eyes where your hands are and feel sensations in your body (like now I'm feeling the texture and click of the keys on my keyboard). Don't have too many programs running, windows open, watch TV and eat...you know this. The Doing is more important than the knowing.

• Spend time in nature alone. Take a silent walk, chant a mantra while walking, mentally count the number of footsteps and if you lose count, start from one again.

• Honour your privacy: Keep your plans, your life, finances, your intimate relationships, and spiritual experiences to yourself. Share only with the most trusted and only if needed. It will help to reduce your own self-image projection. You will lose the need to explain, justify, complain, boast, etc. The noose of upholding your self-image will loosen and it will feel so good.

  So if all these techniques, help us cultivate silence, what is the return on investment?

  Contentment that flows naturally and is not dependent on life going according to our plans.

  What greater ROI could we ask for?

  What's your investment going to be?

Picture credit: Jeremy Thomas