Lately it seems that peace and quiet are rare commodities; this year started off in an unexpected way, and distractions are persistently arising. In fact, it seems like every week there is a new problem, new natural disaster, or even the recent uprisings regarding the unjust oppression imposed on black people. Despite the numerous tragedies, 2020 has been very edifying in every sense of the word. One main lesson that I derived from this pandemic was that there is no guarantee in life when it comes to pursuing your livelihood. “One cannot really risk putting all his eggs in one basket,” as they say. Many people have lost jobs, and some are still having difficulty to provide for their families. It seems that this worldwide pandemic is exposing the underlying fallacies of our traditional way of thinking. Simply put, it appears as if this mandatory sabbatical from a daily work life has coerced people on refining their gifts and reinvesting in their old dreams and business ventures.
People had the opportunity to break away from the fast-paced lifestyle, catch up with their loved ones and become replenished in tranquility. Incorporating a time of silence, quiet, prayer or meditation in my daily routine has been edifying in all aspects of my life. According to Lao Tzu, “silence is a source of great strength”. While there may be negative connotations equated to a moment of silence, such as loneliness or depression, I beg to differ otherwise. I have gained a great deal of benefits from simply taking the time to sit down quietly and recollect my thoughts throughout the day. In fact, in numerous scriptures of the Bible, we are told of many instances where the depicted characters went into the wild for some peace to recharge, reflect, and strategize on how to move forward under the guidance of the Most High.
Silence has numerous physiological and psychological benefits that enable an individual to pursue a meaningful life and to maximize their potential:
- Low blood pressure: a peaceful environment goes a long way in managing the stress of an individual, which further lowers their blood pressure and prevents the development of hypertension.
- Immune boosting: silence helps to reduce the tension in the body. A reduced tension subsequently helps to regulate the hormonal balance in the body which prevents the overproduction of cortisol and adrenaline. Cortisol is also known as the stress hormone, which plays a key factor in hindering the body’s immune capacity. On the other hand, adrenaline is a hormone that allows an individual to better handle “fight or flight” situations, which goes to show that the perpetuation of a hyper stimulating environment or lifestyle can contribute to the debilitating well-being of a person.
- Self-awareness: when a person becomes comfortable with his own thoughts in silence, a paradigm shift occurs. He is able to become more aware of his inherent energy and how it is affecting his environment. Presence goes a long way in affecting other people’s lives, whether the energy is consciously or unconsciously radiated.
- Reflection: silence fosters a suitable environment for the individual to dig deep to the root of his thought patterns and behavior. This practice enables him to connect the dots in a nonjudgmental attitude.
- Oneness: this concept of oneness is a principle that is heavily propagated in Eastern philosophies. It deals with becoming aware of your essence to better go with the flow of life. Silence enables the individual to become sensitive to that life force.
These are some of the tools I have found to help me the most in entrenching this habit in my daily routine:
- Meditate: it could be a silent meditation or a breathing exercise, where you are simply a silent observer of your flow of thoughts. This exercise helps one to realize that you are not your thoughts. Personally, I have found the practice of meditating on the Word to edify me the most. This practice has allowed me to really marinate on the entailed principles of life embedded in the multifaceted scriptures.
- Gratitude moments: taking at least five minutes when you wake up or before you go to sleep to recollect all the blessings in your life, goes a long way in expanding someone’s perception of life. This type of attitude creates a sequence of similar frequencies or opportunities that will amplify that state of being.
- Hiking: this is one of my favorite hobbies, and the PNW could not be a better area to engage in such activities. There is an abundance of nature where one could go to recharge, replenish or to get in tune with oneself. It does not necessarily have to be hiking, even peaceful walks in the woods or parks provide a similar state of tranquility.
My sincere hope is that any reader finds delight in this blog, the motivation to embark in the journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. Doing these blogs similarly help me in reinforcing these principles in my life by practicing what I preach or share to my audience. In the meantime, I leave you with this African proverb that says, “when there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you”.
“The Marathon Continues…”
Levitate and Radiate 