“Let the words you speak be worthy of the silence they break”
Anon
This phrase was spoken into the silence of a circle I was a part of over a decade ago and they have stayed with me ever since.
As a reminder of the sort of deep presence that I seek to cultivate on a daily basis.
How do you feel about silence?
Today, I sat on the mountainside.
My back to a large Ponderosa Pine tree who’s bark smelled like caramel.
The sun had warmed the pine needle carpet underneath me and it pulsed in waves of hot earth aroma, more pungent than oil.
The nearby Juniper tree, spoke softly to me as I worked to quiet my inner noise.
I had to work at it, but eventually, my mind calmed and my thoughts quieted.
I allowed myself to relax and simply notice what was happening around me in the celebration of life.
Chipmunks went about their day and chirruped in surprise when they came across me.
A quiet human.
A rarity in these parts.
One of the biggest tests we will encounter in our busy lives on this planet is that of ‘the blank space’.
Huh? You may ask.
The blank space is one of the hardest to find and yet it’s there all the time. Waiting.
The blank space is called by many names, none of which recognize it’s inherent value to the human soul. Boredom, depression, lethargy, confusion, fatigue, stagnancy… all alchemical states of transformation.
11 THINGS I KNOW ABOUT WINTER1. Silence is actually really loud2. The cold, bare land is a mirror for our stories3. Cosiness is the ultimate luxury4. Real fires remind us of our ancient past5. Family shows us where we are in our evolution6. Peace really can only be found within7. Adventure can be found in the smallest of places8. Awe and wonder reconnect us9. Magic is real10. Gratitude is the ultimate gift11. Death is really just a beginning
All pervasive and waiting to be remembered, silence sits within each and every one of us.
It is a place of utter calm, utter peace and utter rejuvenation.
Silence is there whenever we stop and breathe.
It is the place pregnant with answers to every question we may ask.
It reminds us that we hold the keys to our life story.