Greetings and welcome to the Why Struggle Podcast.
I'm your host,
Barbara J.
Faison,
And my intention with this podcast is to offer ideas,
Insights,
And inspirations so you can live life better.
Greetings and welcome to 2025,
Week 17,
Silence.
If you're new to the podcast,
Welcome,
And if you listen regularly,
Thank you.
This is a podcast about silence.
April is National Poetry Month.
As I was enjoying some moments of silence,
I remembered I had written a poem about it.
I hope you enjoy it.
Silence.
Silence is the language of God,
The universe,
The creator.
Be still and listen.
Be still and know.
Be still and trust.
Silence holds all the answers.
Silence holds all that you can trust.
Silence is waiting for you.
Will you answer the call?
That is my contribution to National Poetry Month.
I have a feeling I may be reconnecting with the poet in me soon.
The world is filled with so much noise and so many sounds.
I find myself craving more and more silence every day.
A few minutes of silence as a daily practice can reduce stress as we calm our minds and thoughts from a hectic day.
Simply take a few minutes before you start your day while in bed and observe what you hear,
How you feel,
And what you sense as you check in with yourself and your body before the day starts.
I've recently consciously decided not to use my smartphone for at least 10 to 15 minutes after I wake up to allow my mind,
Body,
And spirit to wake up and listen for guidance.
When possible,
I also enjoy the silence of the house without the television or music.
Being silent for periods of time will give you a new appreciation for the power of spoken words and sounds.
It took me years to truly understand how powerful silence can be.
Now,
I relish,
Crave,
And look for ways to immerse myself in silence.
Like much of life,
Learning to be silent is a practice.
Regular meditation has helped me become as comfortable with silence as I am with speaking.
Silence can be deafening if you're unfamiliar with its sound.
Silence can scare you if you're unaware of its value.
Silence can be your friend if you embrace it.
So,
Let's take a few minutes to just be with the silence.
I'll lead you in a guided silence practice,
And we will be in silence for two minutes.
As long as you're not driving or operating heavy equipment,
Feel free to join me.
We'll settle into the practice by connecting with a few of your senses.
Take a look around you and notice what you see in front of you and around you.
Breathe at your own pace,
Rate,
And rhythm.
And notice,
What do you see?
Next,
Allow your eyes to close or lower to lessen any external distractions.
Continue breathing at your own pace,
Rate,
And rhythm.
And notice the sounds around you.
What do you hear right now?
Beautiful.
Now,
Give yourself permission to just be,
To allow yourself to be here,
Now,
And breathe.
I'll leave you to sit alone in the silence for two minutes,
And I'll return before you know it.
It's time to return.
Before you open your eyes again,
Just check in with your body and notice how you feel in this moment,
Right now.
If you can name that feeling,
Say it out loud.
Lovely.
Open your eyes.
Bring a big smile to your face.
You just did a two-minute slice of silence.
You sat with your breath and your body in the silence.
Pat yourself on the back.
I encourage you to come back to this practice multiple times during the day.
Thank you so much for joining me.
Until next time,
Take good care and be well.
How did it feel to sit in silence for two minutes?
Is that a practice you can do daily?
If so,
Your body and mind will thank you.
I'll leave you with this quote by Rumi.
Why are you so afraid of silence?
Silence is the root of everything.
Leave a comment,
Observation,
Or reflection where you're listening to this podcast.
