So in the midst of the COVID-19 shutdown my teen daughter suggested that we do the 10-day silence meditation. I was elated about the opportunity and anxious to gain all the benefits that I was certain would come from such a profound experience.
That’s why without hesitation I immediately shifted into silent mode. No prep, no pondering, no questions, just silence. Surprisingly it was a lot easier than I anticipated. Being an only child, an artist and a bit of an introvert the silence came naturally.
Sure, initially the thought of it may seem to you unrealistic. However, once you realize that you have total control over it you see the fallacy in that way of thinking.
Now a 10-day silence meditation is not just about literally being silent. It includes all manner of communication including sighs, hand gestures, communicative body language as well as facial expressions. These are all means of communication and you cannot truly experience the 10-day silence meditation if you exclude them.
My Experience
At the onset, what was most surprising was how much the sound of others talking transformed into the most ghastly near deafening noise. I mean every syllable was almost like a fire engine siren ringing in my ears. That torture was made even worse by a business-related zoom conference call that I was previously scheduled to attend, which lasted for an unbearable hour and a half!
However, once I got over that hurdle, as I continued on my quest of silence things significantly improved. I utilized things like YouTube ASMR cooking, walking and nature videos. I also, kept my essential oil diffuser going along with my Himalayan salt lamp and some scented candles to set a relaxing, peaceful mood. Eventually, all of this made tuning out the outside world that much easier. Besides that, I began to spend more of my time focusing inward.
It was at that time that I discovered that thoughts were ultimately the real culprit. Yes, my thoughts were the true source of all the noise ringing in my ears. Those damn things are the noisiest. I realized that until you’ve successfully tamed them for a significant amount of time you’d honestly never even notice just how noisy they are.
However, once I got them to a tolerable volume this experience literally took on a life of its own. My senses were more heightened. I mean even those beyond the five. Areas of uncertainty became crystal clear. Appreciation for even the smallest things went from 0 to 100. Life just seemed a lot brighter.
Overall, this 10-day silence meditation has been the most amazing self care hack to date. It teaches you so much about yourself. It sheds light on the dark areas and quietly diffuses the areas that are no longer serving you.
For me it additionally provided an ever more personal, intimate way to bond with my daughter. We learned to be close without the unnecessary weight and limitations of words or the interference of the outside world. It strengthened an already unbreakable bond elevating it to levels before unknown. Also, it was a powerful life experience that we will never forget.
So if you have not before tried the 10-day silence meditation than you should definitely give it a try. What better time than in the midst of the COVID-19 shutdown? A once in a lifetime event deserves this mind-blowing once in a lifetime experience. Treat yourself to something wonderfully life changing.
