True Silence

"True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment."   - William Penn

Because of what I do, teaching and performing......I have learned the importance of silence.
When I teach, I talk.....a great deal.  And when I perform,  I sing and talk.  It is interesting, when someone calls me and there is a long conservation, I am usually exhausted by the time we hang up.
Same with visits,  long conversation exhausts me.  It took a a long time to figure out why.

Once I realized that most of my energy was being expended by teaching and performing (using my voice) and then on top of that, participating in long conversations.......a light bulb flashed.
I figured my voice was being used as much as a runner's legs were......add in COPD.......wow, silence is golden.

I relish my times of silence......moments or hours, that I sit quietly and watch the birds or just look at the sky, or read a book.  For me, silence rests my mind as well as my body.  Breath work and meditation are life savers......not just for me, but for all of us.  I believe the reason so many of us are fearful of silence.......we have become so use to the  cloud of noise that surrounds us, when we experience silence it is scary.  We've become conditioned to "busy" work and think if we practice stillness, we are lazy.

William Penn understood silence, that it was as important to humans as food, water and air.
If it has been awhile since you have allowed yourself to enjoy "true silence".......make yourself a promise that tomorrow, you take five minutes of silence.......if you can, go outside, if not, to the bathroom, closet, wherever  you have to go.......spend five minutes in silence.  Write it on your calendar, that daily five minutes will make a difference in your  spirit as well as your body.

Remember, rest the mind, nourish the spirit......five minutes of silence.  By the way, a walk outdoors in silence.......a mini vacation!