my spiritual practice of silence-

….in the city…monday is a day of silence for me- i’ve taken on this dedication once a week after much thought and experience from a year’s worth of new moon silence that brought me amazing insight. there has been at least a year’s time between my new moon dedication and this new one once a week.
it is a day where i journey without making sound, save for laughter at times and chanting mantra in class (quietly).

i must make distinction that i am aware that it is nearly impossible to not make any sound, especially as i go through my day regular like (being out in the urban world). i can be free from talking, using the phone and stereo.

it allows me to listen. to begin to understand the different layers that make up the fabric of our lives. sounds of traffic no longer drown out the song of birds- because i am in tune with the layers. it can be related to a symphony and it can shift the attention- so that the sounds of the city do not disturb the mind- they are apart of the fabric- once this has been achieved i realize that i am not disturbed by the barrage of media messages that surround me- clutter that does not make it’s way into my head- unless i make the conscious choice to take it in.

the sound of my hand brushing against the fur of Jai as i caress his beautiful cat head.

the sound of my feet as i walk- how lightly do i step? is it as lightly as i am able?

it is a calming- even as i enter into it- i begin prior to sleep the night before and i wake slowly to come into the day with full awareness of my intention. today had it’s rough spots- i was troubled by an interaction with my Mother the night before- so my mind was filled with thoughts- and not all calm ones….but through the course of the day, i met a calming. and i had to work for it!

i wear a sign, explaining my silence for the day, and sometimes i am met with bewilderment- folks confuse the fact that they can talk- it is my choice not to. some begin to use hand gestures, in communicating something, and the most interesting one is that it requires that communication happen with eyes making contact- that’s a big one for so many people- we go around, through our day- speaking to people, without the slightest effort to look at the being we are talking with.

i began to notice these things, in a chosen silence.

insights will continue to unfold as i continue this practice.