30 Days of Yes - Silence is Loud

Yesterday was day 5 of 30 Days of Yes. www.yes30.com.  It promised to be the most challenging of the days so far and it was. I was instructed to put at least 15 minutes aside for just pure listening. It sounds easy and rather enjoyable. Another opportunity for a "working" nap, perhaps. A guilt-free nap since it was an assignment.

I have mediated and prayed many times in my life but I don't think I have tried to just "listen" without generating thoughts through my head. When I pray and mediate I mostly express gratitude and then I visualize a good life and retrace the good life I have had. What I discovered when going for absolute silence was that silence can be rather loud.

First, I just tried to listen to nature. What I heard was my neighbors upstairs walking and they never stopped walking. That thought lead to the inner question "when you live in an apartment how far can you actually walk?" After I really didn't answer that question in my head I tried to get back to silence. I heard a lot of white noise, which either means my head is empty or very busy. Then I heard myself talking to myself saying things like, "don't talk, I have to listen." I decided to do some deep breathing and all I heard was my deep breathing followed with daydreaming and not "listening."

Although this was just one activity in 30 Days of Yes I am going to do this every day so I get good at it, just like I will express gratitude every day, focus on truly forgiving everyday, kick it up a notch on my physical activity everyday and diligently work on overcoming obstacles keeping me from my passion and purpose everyday.

Today's assignment has to do with soaking up nature. That was easy to do in Hawaii and should be good for today given that the weather is perfect here in the Midwest. I'm glad it's not tomorrow's activity because it's supposed to be 90 plus and humid here. Not sure if AC is considered nature.