How long can you stay in silence? Have you ever thought? What can you do in a quiet environment? So, what does this silence mean to you?
Being silent is traditionally associated with meditation. You can remain silent while doing sports, doing yoga, reading a book, or eating.
What is the call of silence for you?
“We live in the age of noise. Silence is almost extinct,” says philosopher and adventurer Erling Kagge. Let’s start with meditation first. Because silence helps us be in the moment. Our mind is full and thinks more effectively when it is silent. Things that cannot be taught through modern education can be realized and understood through meditation practice. No one teaches modern people how to be serene, and they do not have the opportunity or time to be serene. Being still is a must for meditation, because only then can the truth or the reality within us manifest itself. “Vipassana Meditation” teaches the fastest way to do this. Vipassana, which means seeing things as they are, is India’s oldest meditation technique. Rules; No talking, phone, writing, or reading for 10 days. In short, no activity occupies or exercises the mind. Apart from eating, sleeping, and washing, the only activity you can do is walk. You are not allowed to have any verbal or physical communication with those there. Our minds need some rest, a break. So is our body. Vipassana is a great experience to cleanse your mind from excess and achieve balance.
Did you know that this silence renews your brain cells? In 2013, the journal “Brain, Structure, and Function” described an experiment conducted on mice. In this experiment, mice were exposed to noise pollution and silence at different times. During this experiment, changes in the brains of mice were monitored.
It was observed that new cells began to form in the hippocampus (the memory center of the brain) of mice that remained silent for about two hours a day. Silence enables the production of neurons compatible with our brain. Throughout this process, information is actively evaluated and internalized.
To move from the level of survival to the level of living, a successful method is to set aside some time for silence each day. Because only through silence can we find peace again. Peace is a daily journey we take by stopping, getting quiet, and remembering.
When the brain is disabled against external stimuli; thoughts, feelings, memories, and ideas begin to wander. This default mode network helps us make meaning of our experiences, empathize more easily with others, be more creative, and interpret our own mental and emotional states. In addition to helping us win an argument, it can also help nourish our relationships. By remaining silent, you naturally listen more and give others the chance to share more.
“Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.” —Francis Bacon
Melis GENCE
Instagram: @melispurelife
