J J Hanna
The Power of Silence
Silence is interesting because it doesn't exist. The world can never be truly, fully silent. There is always a bird chirping, or wind blowing, or maybe a dog barking. If nothing else, at least, there's the ticking of the nearest clock. Those sounds become associated with quiet. Yet, when those sounds aren't there your breath becomes more obvious, occasionally your pulse in your ears. These sounds are always there, constantly making the Earth a noisy planet. Your brain just typically ignores it. Amazing how that works, isn't it? This silence, this quiet, can be disconcerting if it's a new phenomenon. Yet, while it is disconcerting, it is also calming. To feel completely alone in the world can be paradise. There's no one to tell you what to do, how to act, who to be, what to say or not say, how to survive. Instead, you can just be. And it's wonderful. A lot of the time silence can be frightening. It opens up space in your mind to allow your own thoughts in. Heaven forbid we have original thoughts in this culture. But only once you know your thoughts can you actually know yourself. Sit in the silence. Take some time in your busy lifestyle to sit and breathe. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. Allow yourself to do nothing, and embrace the power of silence.