Silence IS Golden
by Miki SaxonIn his comments regarding a truly depressing article on the dumbing down of American kids, Glen over at Life Dev said, “Personally, I think a major problem with our entire society is that it doesn’t allow for reflection. … We’ve grown the mentality that it’s better to listen to someone else than it is to think for ourselves.”
Before you get too depressed by the article check out The Primal Teen by Barbara Strauch,
“In unprecedented work, scientists are discovering exactly how the teenage brain works. Using powerful new brain-scanning machines, peering for the first time into living, working teenage brains, coordinating work across countries and across continents, drawing on pioneering work with adolescent primates and even rats, the neuroscientists are finding that the teenage brain, far from being an innocent bystander to hormonal hijinks, is undergoing a dramatic transformation.
The teenage brain, it’s now becoming clear, is still very much a work in progress, a giant construction project. Millions of connections are being hooked up; millions more are swept away. Neurochemicals wash over the teenage brain, giving it a new paint job, a new look, a new chance at life. The teenage brain is raw, vulnerable. It’s a brain that’s still becoming what it will be.”
But I couldn’t agree more about the lack of quiet time.
My own anecdotal evidence shows that while most people are uncomfortable with silence, others are actually terrified by it. I don’t mean the silence of a sensory deprivation tank, just natural silence; the silence that come from turning off and unplugging from our wired world. No iPod, cell phone, TV, radio, etc.
It’s in silence that
- your mind can wander unfocused;
- unconnected scraps can coalesce to form new ideas;
- you can dig around and learn what actually comprises your MAP (mindset, attitude, philosophy)™;
- really get to know yourself; and hopefully
- become best friends with yourself.
Unscientifically speaking, perhaps it was silence that fostered the great philosophers of bygone times. First, they were forced to know themselves and knowing gave them the ability to formulate their great ideas. Did the enforced silence of prison nurture Nelson Mandela’s ability to conceive his vision and eventually articulate it to the world?
No matter your age, try it. Unplug and get comfortable—with silence and with yourself.
Make silence your friend and watch your happiness, satisfaction and creativity soar.
October 26th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
What silence permits, as I see it, is an opportunity to realize what you are really doing. Am I being productive? Am I doing stuff that aren’t worth the effort? Do I need to re-set goals? In other words, it lets you THINK. You can’t think with all the usual noise around our lives. Thanks for reminding your readers about the importance of silence.
October 27th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
I recommend meditating twice per day. There is something very magical about being silent, clearing you mind, and being in the present moment.
October 29th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Ivan, You’re right about thinking, but silence is an absolute requirement for dreaming, as well as learning about one’s self.
Paul, you’re right, meditating is excellent, but there are many other ways to bless yourself with silence—just turn off the iPod or car radio and untether your mind. You might be surprised, or even distraught, at where it will wander, but you’ll never be bored.