“Hello darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains” ~ Simon and Garfunkel
Within the sound of silence In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded by noise, distractions, and information overload. With so much happening around us, it can be challenging to find moments of peace and quiet to focus on the task at hand. However, silence and focus are essential for productivity, creativity, and overall well-being.
Silence is not just the absence of noise, but it is a powerful tool for introspection and concentration. When we silence external distractions, We create space for our internal thoughts and emotions to surface. In this space, We can reflect, plan, and make important decisions. Silence also helps us recharge our mental batteries and reduce stress levels.
This week’s “Embrace the Silence” exercise has been the biggest challenge yet. I’m finding it almost impossible to be silent for only a few minutes at a time. I am a product of or microwave mentality society and everything has to be fast and immediate. My focus and attention are constantly interrupted and bombarded by pings, bings, the flash of notifications, text messages, emails, and phone calls.
So much noise causing more chaos in my already wild monkey mind.
I know that I can do this. But it will have to be done in small steps. I have added extra quiet time to my morning medication and have started setting a timer to remind myself to ignore any and all devices until the alarm rings. I have started with 60 minutes and plan to increase the time until I can go a whole day without interruption.
This exercise has opened my eyes to the level of addiction I have to all the distractions technology has brought into my life. I will break this addiction and I will embrace the silence using it as a tool to clarify my visions and sharpen my focus.
I promise to be still, quiet my mind, and achieve all my dreams, and I always keep my promises, Scott S.
Thank you for Simon and Garfunkel! Just extend the time of your sits as you are able gradually pushing through your limits. At the beginning prime yourself by listening to the Sounds of Silence and then go into the silence. Allow what is around and deep inside you to speak.
Great observations and reflections Scott! In these days with all the technology it is part of daily life which you do not often question. Thank you for lifting it up on the table.
Great job Scott! The state of Silence is difficult but achievable. I commend you for just “doing it” and not making excuses for why it did not happen. Keep up the great work. Way to go!
Scott, I am encouraged by your realization and response. Choosing the microwave as one of the ways to characterize our current society, I find especially appropriate. Yes, it’s fast, yet indirectly deadly for the people who eat the food it cooks, and directly for everything and everyone nearby are always exposed to some degree to the radiation and emf it creates! 🙂
Such excellent reflections and determination to embrace Silence, Scott. Thanks for Master Minding this because you aren’t the only one addicted to a noisy life! I love how you point out that “Silence is not just the absence of noise, but it is a powerful tool for introspection and concentration. When we silence external distractions, we create space for our internal thoughts and emotions to surface. In this space, we can reflect, plan, and make important decisions. Silence also helps us recharge our mental batteries and reduce stress levels.” Cheering you and all of us on in breaking the addiction!