MKE Week 14 – Silence and Gratitude

We experienced a winter storm over the Christmas holiday. The temperature was very cold and went into the negatives with the wind chill. It was icy and strong winds took down part of our fence. At one point we lost power for a few hours.

When the power first went out, I immediately noticed how quiet the house got without all the buzzing frequencies of electricity. It’s amazing how what seemed like a quiet environment to begin with could get even quieter! I was grateful I had blankets and a dog to keep me warm on the couch. I enjoyed time reading my book that I might not have read if the power had stayed on.  I realized my gratitude for all the blessings and convenience the power of electricity brings to my life (lots of index card ideas there).

This time of gratitude and silence reminded me of my sit. I feel I have been able to quiet my body and mind through practice every day. However, I feel I could experience even more stillness and silence by turning off the “buzz” of background thoughts that are still floating around my mind. I usually start off my sit by taking 10 deep breaths, but thoughts often pop into my head before I get to ten. When this happens, I start over again at breath 1 to refocus. I’m proud of myself for being a good observer and recognizing when my mind is quiet, but still buzzing. I am giving myself time and grace to keep practicing, focusing on my breath, and embracing more mental silence.