There is a complete disruption of our lives at this moment with fear and uncertainty looming large. What is comforting though is that many of us are trying to stay positive attempting a skill or hobby. Along with new skills, we could consider practising silence as another activity. "Maun Vrat" or vow of silence has been exercised by spiritual seekers all over the world. Silence requires application, discipline and vigilance.

For those who want to experiment with silence, I am sharing a simple plan. Decide on the number of hours (don't exceed 2-3 hours a day), practice it every day for the next 14 days and if possible do it at the same time of the day.

Divide the silent period into the following practices. Include practice of mindfulness at the beginning of your "silent" period. Be aware of your breath and feelings, it will help you steady your nerves and channelize your fears. Waves after waves of thoughts will come and go, try to acknowledge them and not weave stories around it. You will find calm at the end of this exercise. Next, we could incorporate spiritual studies and contemplation. Ancient texts do explain our disturbances. When there are so many conflicting views it is good to go back to something that has stood the test of times. In silence, creative energy has a better chance to flow and our efficiency can be many folds due to very little self-inflicted distraction. So, honing a skill or a hobby in silence should be next on our list during this period of silence. Lastly, add routine duties to your silent period. Chores are necessary, and in silence, you perform them with full concentration and without complaint. In these times of crisis, there is a lot of nervous energy, anxiety and restlessness.

Talking all the time brings out the negativity within us. Our family and friends right now need our calm assured self. Practice constructive silence, it reassures everyone around you.

#silence #personalgrowth #mindfulness

Kiran Lama-ji from Bodhgaya has voice recorded this blog post for easy listening.