Quiet, Please…

There is a lot of talk about cleansing these days.  It’s supposed to help prevent cancer and all kinds of medical issues. But cleansing is just as important for the mind as it is for the body, most specifically, noise cleansing.

There was a time when the sounds of the city were woven into the fabric of my life. It didn’t matter what time it was or weather it was night or day, the background sounds were always there, filling every possible nook and cranny of my brain.  Constant traffic noise, the activities of neighbors, voices, lawn mowers, a drill, a saw, music blasting, door bell ringing, dogs barking, airplanes overhead, even the static of electricity charging through the electrical lines hanging above our house. There was a time when I was so accustomed to an abundance of sound, that most days it went unnoticed. Anyone been there?

An astonishing amount of noise passes through us on a daily basis, yet I find it most noticeable when I am removed from it.  The noise seems to stand out in total silence as if it takes time for all the sounds to fade away. When it finally does, we are left with numbing quiet.  What is all that I don’t hear?

Would it be best to turn on some music? Call someone? Do something to create a little bit of sound. That way the weening process isn’t so severe. Combine the chaos of constant city noise, with the chaos of one’s personal life, and you have all the ingredients for a melt-down.

To go from one extreme to the other is shocking, but well worth it.  Withdrawal is always difficult, and makes no exception here. It takes a while for the noise to clear out of our systems. Don’t be tempted to create sound to make it any easier. Just be strong and gut it out.

It won’t be long before the ringing in the ears stops and total quiet sets in. You know you’re making progress when the wind rustling in the trees is disturbing. Or when the chirp of a bird startles you. It’s such an unusual sound, silence is.

I usually drive in silence, now. One day I realized the radio was more annoying than anything else. What was supposed to be entertainment was driving me crazy. So, I shut if off and listened to nothing. It was great.  My mind was free to travel where ever it wanted without constant interruption.  I have discovered, uncovered, admitted, professed, decided upon and let go of all kinds of things in silence. It’s where the mind needs to be now and then.

Take time to bask in silence from time to time. You will be amazed at what you will hear.

Later,

Mary Ann