In a world full of noise and chaos, I appreciate and savour the sacredness of silence like never before.
What is it about silence that is so precious? In the silence, we return home to our true nature. From this place of remembering, we can live, breathe, see, and feel.
I've shared before how I was very uncomfortable with silence for most of my life. I made sure I was busy and lived a busy life.
One part of me was addicted to this fast-paced life, and another part desperately longed for peace, so I experienced an inner struggle for many years. Then, one day in September 1994, the part that longed for peace won.
I saw an advertisement on a café board and quickly decided to sign up for a 10-day silent retreat on Vancouver Island. We could not talk, write, listen to music, or make eye contact. We meditated for 12 hours or more a day.
I know, extreme, right? My life was extreme.
This was a pretty intense introduction to meditation. I have to admit, I was a bit of a drama queen, and on day one of the retreat, I thought I was going to lose it. I remember pacing back and forth in the area designated for walking. I couldn't yell, so I was screaming in my head, "What were you thinking?!"
I wanted to leave. If it wasn't for the fact they had taken my keys upon arrival, I'm sure I would've 'escaped' without any goodbyes.
However, as the story goes, I dove in and stayed until the end. It was a grueling and blissful experience.
Fast-forward to today, almost thirty years later. I hosted my first silent day retreat, a meaningful experience for myself and the twenty participants.
Being in silence with a group of people is very special. The connection is pure, and the group energy supports us despite exchanging no words. The participants found this surprising and enlightening. It shows you that there are many ways of connecting.
It was interesting for me to be silent while hosting a retreat. I felt the gift of this. I appreciated how the silence brought me to deeper levels of awareness, and I noticed how my senses were heightened.
In the afternoon, I went for a walk in nature, and my senses felt so alive.
I could smell the smells; the air was fresh, the wind blowing against my skin, and I could smell the beauty of nature. I remember stopping and looking up at a tree, and as the wind blew through the branches, it felt like the tree and wind were talking to me. There was a feeling of unity.
I was reminded of the power of silence.
When we are silent, we go deeper. This creates an opening for us to connect to our true essence and to the essence of others. There is a sense of Oneness.
Our thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs can be seen and witnessed differently as we create space. Emotions may come to the surface—to be felt, understood, and freed.
We are the witness.
We are shining light.
In our society, silence is not highly valued. People may be afraid or try to avoid too much silence.
Over the years, I have had many people share their sincere concerns about what they will find when they are silent and go inward. 'What if it's not good? What if there is no peace?' I get this. I had the same questions and concerns.
It's not bad or wrong to feel this way. It's what's true for us at the moment.
What would happen if we honoured this part of ourselves that is concerned?
The part of us that is afraid of silence is our ego. When we embrace the fear, the fear dissolves, and freedom is there to greet us on the other side.
It was interesting how, because no one was speaking throughout the day, I was curious if people were enjoying their experience at the retreat or wanting to bolt out the door like I did all those years ago.
We ended our noble silence by chanting OM three times, followed by an opportunity for anyone who wanted to share. It was so beautiful to listen to their experiences. Many people shared that they were surprised at how fast the day went by. When they arrived, some were nervous, thinking how long the day might feel, and were surprised that wasn't the case.
Several people shared how deeply transformative their experience was. They felt a deepening and wished they could stay longer to explore it further.
Hearing this feedback and reaffirming the transformative power of silence touched my heart deeply.
After receiving this feedback from several people, I have decided to host a weekend silent retreat in January 2025. This retreat will provide an opportunity to tap into a more profound connection with our True Selves and the time and space to explore it further.
More information will follow in the months to come. I hope you'll join me!
With love,
Diane