I love these reflections so much Sam. Thank you 🙏 I too believe this is what we so desperately need. I've been a practicing Buddhist for years and I'm familiar with meditating in silence but for me it's much harder to carve out a space in my day where I "do" in silence - things like housework, without podcasts or music. I love that she suggests silence as a practice separate from meditation.
Yes, it feels more like something that's integrated into life. Have you read Tricia Hershey's 'Rest is Resistance'? She writes about silence in a similar way, as something everyday and not necessarily formal meditation. But she also really pulls out the political aspects and sees silence and rest as reclaiming our fundamental humanity in the face of a capitalist culture that makes very second of our time a commodity we have to sell in order to live.
This really resonated with me, Sam. I allow myself so little time for silence these days, and find it so much harder to access feelings that used to come so naturally. And yes, this comes with a welling urge to be by the sea, or in the hills, outside, with wind on my face and away from those voices clamouring to tell me what I need or believe or want. Thank you, for vocalising it and therefore helping it feel less lonely.
Meditating for years now, I have of-late discovered a similar need. Meditation opened a door, leading me to an interior garden. That garden is rest, silence, and reflection. I found it when I discovered that Meditation is as easy as letting go - letting a cohort of proximal beings (my invisible Sanga) bring to me what I need, not me striving for light like a starving cat. Clawing for food.
Thank you again Samantha, for your beautiful sharing of what silence is.
I love these reflections so much Sam. Thank you 🙏 I too believe this is what we so desperately need. I've been a practicing Buddhist for years and I'm familiar with meditating in silence but for me it's much harder to carve out a space in my day where I "do" in silence - things like housework, without podcasts or music. I love that she suggests silence as a practice separate from meditation.
Yes, it feels more like something that's integrated into life. Have you read Tricia Hershey's 'Rest is Resistance'? She writes about silence in a similar way, as something everyday and not necessarily formal meditation. But she also really pulls out the political aspects and sees silence and rest as reclaiming our fundamental humanity in the face of a capitalist culture that makes very second of our time a commodity we have to sell in order to live.
That sounds wonderful 😊 Thanks for the recommendation 🙏 I look Holy Isle too btw. I was fortunate to be at a retreat there too in May this year.
Love this, Sam, thank you.
Love these reflections on silence and its importance - thank you for sharing. A wild space to be conserved
Yes and an endangered one too!
This really resonated with me, Sam. I allow myself so little time for silence these days, and find it so much harder to access feelings that used to come so naturally. And yes, this comes with a welling urge to be by the sea, or in the hills, outside, with wind on my face and away from those voices clamouring to tell me what I need or believe or want. Thank you, for vocalising it and therefore helping it feel less lonely.
Meditating for years now, I have of-late discovered a similar need. Meditation opened a door, leading me to an interior garden. That garden is rest, silence, and reflection. I found it when I discovered that Meditation is as easy as letting go - letting a cohort of proximal beings (my invisible Sanga) bring to me what I need, not me striving for light like a starving cat. Clawing for food.
Thank you again Samantha, for your beautiful sharing of what silence is.