By Anne Round
Published The Magic Happens Magazine June 2021
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Recently, we had the pleasure of walking in the woods on a warm sunny day of Spring. We often walk together in silence. Our years together have created a pleasant comfort. We enjoy walking without having to interrupt the energy with our voices.
The mountain we were encircling with our steps held a deep acceptance of all that passes by. The trees shared their magnificence with a gentle cradling of our presence as we visited their home. The flowers emanated beauty and delight. They rejoiced in being glorious as an appreciation of the moment. The experience held me, peacefully knowing that all is well. It increased my coherence with the natural world and steadied me on my path.
Noise often shatters the silence of our contemplations. The business of living a life distracts us from the flow of our natural rhythm. How many of us actually know what our natural rhythm is? When I give myself to the silent flow of life, I feel like I am playing hooky or not attending to what “needs” doing. The pressure of not following the rules is a hurdle I have to overcome constantly. The guilt takes me down a path of more and more distraction so that I cannot hear what the silence has to say to me now.
I survived teenage children’s continual noise by using headphones and heart-centered music while I did kitchen chores. I seem to be a person who needs calm, and cacophony is very disturbing for my system. It is related to my upbringing when older siblings barged into my world of imaginary play with their roughshod opinions. I do enjoy listening to music and podcasts. I chose when and how much I want to be influenced by those external inputs.
A fond memory from my childhood is the engine on the sailboat turning off. The steady beat of the diesel to get the boat off the dock and into the open water is overpowering. The sails are hoisted, with lots of banging and snapping. Then the engine is shut off once settled on course, and the peace is palpable. The noises are only those of the natural world, wind in the sails and water lapping at the vessel as it surges forward. The chaos of preparation vanishes with the peace of being in nature.
The desire to sit in silence has been creeping into my system. I find it easy to do when I can sit on the deck staring at the stars or listen to the birds. It is much harder to sit in my chair in the living room, not being occupied by reading or something. I am so trained to keep myself constantly busy. I retreat to the bathtub for peace and quiet. It is an acceptable place to relax and do nothing.
Silence is vibrant with energy and life. It is alive and interactive. Cultivating peace in my life allows my soul room to embody and speak its truth. I can hear my intuition loud and clear when I quietly move through my day. The sweetness of silence is a natural field of vitality that is music to my ears.
May we all appreciate the melodies that soothe our souls.
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