In today’s modern culture, we are constantly bombarded with noise, interruptions, notifications, and constant assaults on our senses. We are inundated with creating a personal brand, curating and communicating the image we want to project, as if our natural state of being wasn’t refined enough. Our eyes are fixed on screens, our ears are soaked in the noise of the latest headphone innovations, and our minds are constantly focused on achieving more or better ourselves. Society is moving away from asking people to simply be who they are, and instead rewarding well-planned selves and actions.
Taking a vow of silence can help us take a break from these things for a while and allow ourselves to be ourselves and be who we are in the moment. It’s easy to keep silent, but not necessarily easy, especially if you keep silent for a long time. However, silence can help us adjust and acknowledge who we are without trying to fix anything. It can create a space for us to truly be present in our surroundings, to observe what we absorb from our surroundings, to reflect on what we are drawn to in this world, and to realize how much we are connected to those around us, connected and even separate from them.
Going into a retreat isn’t just about avoiding talking, it’s a way to actually disconnect from communication — no emails, no texts, and for some, even complete disconnection from distractions like Netflix, the internet, and everything that belongs to it Forms of force, to resolve patterns rather than patterns. Taking a vow of silence can be challenging, especially if you’ve never practiced it before. Here are ten tips to get you started.
start with why
start with why
Before you try to spend a lot of time processing your inner thoughts, start with your why. Identifying why you are doing a retreat will not only help you set parameters and plans, but also help build intentions when the practice becomes difficult. Maybe your reason is to connect with yourself, or maybe it’s to listen deeply to someone you love. It can simply relieve you from sensory overload. Whatever your motivation is is fine, but understanding what it is in the first place can help guide you and keep you motivated.
start small
start small
Some people do 5 or 10 day retreats, while others do 30 days. If you’ve never practiced stillness, the endeavor can be incredibly impractical, especially if you’re not in a retreat setting with the support of a guide. It can also be traumatic for some without the training and resources.
Starting with a half-day or full-day quiet retreat can help make the experience more accessible. It gives you the space to look at your comfort level and how to expand it within your own tolerance. Shorter silent periods can help you adapt to some of the challenges that may arise without feeling stuck, allowing longer silent periods to be performed more frequently.
experienced tour guide
experienced tour guide
Swearing silence is really a challenge. Don’t even know where to start. Finding an experienced guide can help you plan your vow of silence and can also offer support when things get tough. A guide can be a guru or author who resonates with you, but they can also be an experienced meditator who has been trained to lead a retreat.
select your location
select your location
Where you choose to swear your silence has a direct impact on your experience. It depends a lot on your intent. For example, if you are interested in listening carefully to others, you may want to be in an environment where family and friends are nearby. However, if you want to get back into yourself, you might prefer to choose a place where it’s just you. Taking a road trip or renting a space free from the usual distractions may help.
Turn off or mute technology
Turn off or mute technology
We often think that silence is the words we hear. However, in today’s digital age, talking happens through texts, emails and tweets. By turning off technology, it is possible to experience silence by not prompting us to respond to other texts or emails. It frees the brain from the wave of notifications and pings that keep us from being present.
Schedule for Planning the Pledge of Silence
Schedule for Planning the Pledge of Silence
Planning a schedule can help you keep your vow of silence. This may vary from person to person. Some people choose to go about their daily lives, keeping quiet at work and keeping in touch with friends and family. Others use this time to shake off the fatigue of our constant messages, notifications, and activities and spend more time at home or alone. Others may even choose to walk away and start a retreat.
There’s no right or wrong way to take a vow of silence, but having a plan and schedule in place can make the experience more manageable and less intimidating. If you have a normal routine, it can help to give people advance notice. If you’re doing it alone, make note of the time slots you want to set aside for the different activities. It could be yoga, meditation, journaling, walking, or other mindful activity.
watch what happens
notice what happened
When you take a vow of silence, it seems like the journey to self has to go in a certain way—perhaps blissfully, luxuriously, or pleasurably. While that may be the case, the vow of silence is not the point. By remaining silent, you have the opportunity to see things for what they are. Whether it is pleasant, unpleasant or neutral.
practice non-judgment
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