“Everything was so quiet, as if the silence was listening.” I love this quote from Anna Kavan, it is so me in the woods, when I become one with Mother Nature and every single thing has its place. Real quiet is presence — not an absence of sound but an absence of noise. I think we’re realizing quiet is important, and we need silence; that silence is not a luxury, but it’s essential.
We live in a noise-filled world, and for some, the constant background clatter helps us tune out any unwanted thoughts that may fill our minds. For others, spending time in silence can provide a moment for some much-needed clarity. If you fill your free time with noisy activities, you may be missing out on the advantages that silence can provide. Silence can set the stage for the practice of mindfulness, which has a range of mental health benefits. Being mindful allows you to settle into your mind and body and sit with the present moment. If you feel the impulse to stimulate your brain, try and redirect your attention to the quiet, present moment.
Silence can help increase your self-awareness by giving you the chance to observe and accept your thoughts and feelings without judgment. When you’re sitting in stillness and silence, you become more aware of your body and mind. This can give you a lot of information that you can compassionately question and work better to understand. Embracing silence may also help you settle into the present moment and quiet any racing thoughts. It can also help you be more creative and improve your concentration and focus. When you are alone in nature, you can immerse yourself in your own thoughts, and nobody or nothing will interrupt you. It’s easy to be fully present in every moment. It is especially nice to just sit quietly in a beautiful landscape listening to the silence. The sounds of nature are not noise.
When we spend time in silence, we may become nicer towards other people. I completely agree with this – no matter how irritated I had been when heading to the forest, I always come back home smiling!
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