The Elusive Search for Stillness and Silence in a World Filled with Noise

Yoga came into my life, and as I earnestly practiced the poses, many transformations arose. I realized that meditation is an intrinsic part of yoga, and that silence and stillness are essential avenues to reach it. I was thrilled to discover a Vipassana silent retreat at the Garchen Buddhist Institute, just down the road from where we used to live. My husband and I were ecstatic and promptly signed up.

Perched high among the mountains with endless skies, this place shimmered with otherworldly peace. We stepped gently into silence, surrounded by others who also sought what could not be spoken.
It was an extraordinary experience I will forever carry in my heart. But then the day came when we had to leave. Despite the preparations and advice on how to transition back into daily life, it was a complete shock. I wished I could return.

As a student, I began exploring ways to enter silence and make it a sustainable practice in daily life. A pearl of wisdom shared at the retreat served me well and often saved the day when I became a yoga teacher.
One day, in the middle of a yoga class, we began hearing a jackhammer just outside our door. The workers were remodeling and replacing the floor, having forgotten about our yoga session. We were all in shock, and I quickly had to address the situation.

I had often shared my experience at the silent retreat and the advice I found afterward. “This is the time to apply it,” I said, my voice trying to compete with the jackhammer while remaining calm.
“Imagine that your body is not solid. You are transparent and fluid. Allow the sound, the noise of the world, to pass right through you. 
This is also an invitation to focus on yourself rather than on whatever is happening “out there.” It’s an invitation to go within and choose how you react, which is the only thing we can ever control.”

We courageously faced that challenge as a group and laughed our way through the class until they realized there was a yoga session in progress and stopped the jackhammer. This is a practice I carry with me whenever the world gets loud, which, as we know, is often. The more I practice, the easier it becomes.

Fortunately, as a Soul Coaching® Master Practitioner and Advanced Trainer, I have many other golden nuggets to share with you. 
The more tools we have, the more we can strengthen and ground ourselves during moments of silence and stillness each day. 
Not only does this help us deal with the noise of the world, but more importantly, it helps us listen to and access the wisdom of our own soul. 


In our official Soul Coaching® Program ~ 28 Days to Discover Your Authentic Self, we dedicate an entire day to “Be Still / Do Nothing,” which is an invitation to embrace stillness and silence, a rare commodity in our world.

How to Embrace Stillness: Soul Coaching® Tips
Make the tips below a part of your daily routine.
Just ten minutes a day can elevate your life, turning ordinary hours into pure delight.

1- Ground your day with the wisdom of a powerful affirmation:
 
“In the center of my being, there is always stillness and peace.”

2- GO SLOW
 ~ Choose one activity such as eating, walking, or breathing and slow it way down.

3- DO NOTHING
 ~ It takes a certain amount of courage to do nothing.

The hectic activities that fill our daily lives, and our constant thoughts, judgments, and evaluations, fill us with noise.
Rest. Be. Do nothing.
 
It can be one of the most difficult, courageous, and rewarding things a human being can do.



And I would like to share one more tip that guides my everyday life.

4- CREATE BEAUTY ~ 
My husband and I create beauty in our life as a sustainable field from which everything else arises.
 Beauty offers a sense of serenity and harmony that invites stillness.
 (See photo above of our Academy.)

Last but not least, here is an empowerment action statement, or you can take a silent moment to write your own.

Empowerment Action Statement
Today, I honor the power of stillness. In the silent, sacred pause, I discover the truth of my being and the beauty of my own reflection.