Experiencing the Spaces in Every Day Life

Some days it seems to be easy to be in the moment- the sun is out with plentiful blue skies, there are no pressing work deadlines to meet, and no problems to solve. On these days we remember to breathe in the beauty around us, and find enjoyment in the simple things.

Then there are "those days." The days when the alarm clock goes off earlier than our internal clock, when there don't seem to be enough minutes in the day, or when the puppy eats our favorite pair of shoes which is yes, from my own life! Still these busy days need not be any different than those that at first glance seem more relaxing. It's on these days that we can choose to flow with the river.




Listening to the Silences

Often times our minds are filled with so many thoughts that we are stumped when it comes to finding any kind of respite. One thought seems to lead to another, and before you know it, we are having imaginary conversations with ourselves! Worries can fill our minds, cashing in on our deepest fears and insecurities with "reasonable" explanations and excuses not to mention arguments for the validity of whatever the issue of the day is.

So how do we turn off our monkey minds?  By listening to the silence in between sounds in our external environment. The birds are singing. The chimes blow in the wind and make a soothing sound. Rain drips on the rooftop. The wind blows. Cars whizzing by on the freeway or neighborhood roads, the fog horn blows. We sit by the ocean and listen to the crash of the waves. Wonderful.

Once you have tuned into the sounds of nature, then go one step deeper. Listen for the silence in between the sound of the chimes, the birds singing, waves crashing.

Listen for that moment. Breathe in that moment. Be in the silence. For once you become aware of the possibility of quieting your mind anywhere, anytime, and under any circumstances, you have a powerful tool for increasing self awareness and presence.

Into the Silence

Today I found myself listening to the silence between sounds. At first, I was drawn to my spring garden where birds are singing, tibetan chimes are ringing, coastal winds are blowing.

What a delight it was!

Not that I am unfamiliar with silence; my work requires long periods where cessation of sound is a a necessity as I listen to the quiet voice, the channeled voice, that will, hopefully, shed insight for my clients who have gifted me with their questions. Most days I wake early when it is still quiet outside so as not to be disturbed by the day! What an amusing thought that is!  Still, (alert, causal plane humor aboard :-) ) I do seek out quiet times so that I can clearly hear the voice I have learned to recognize through the years.

Even so, today, once my work was done, became an adventurous day as I focused my attention on those in between places, those silences after the "ring" and before the next sound of the chime. I let my attention drift into the singing of our local Robin, a merry little song with little time between one round and the next. The cars are passing on the coast highway, only a few blocks from here, a steady stream of background noise for awhile, then silence before the next vehicles pass by. Clocks ticking, dog barks, people talking. All the sounds of the day with moments of silence scattered in here and there.

Listening in this way quieted my own mind and need to talk to others about all those random ideas running through my head. Another surprise! I became part of the silence save the clicking of keys on my laptop, also replete with spaces dependent upon my thoughts and how I executed them, how they were penned so to speak of course. I have landed in a rich landscape, fertile with introspection and quietude. Wondrous it is.....