The Value of Stillness | How to Practice Mindful Silence

This year I’ve been dismantling my own internalized “busy culture” and prioritizing rest. The past six months I’ve been faced with my own unhealthy relationship with work - I’ve been forced to slow down, sit with stillness and unknown. It has not been easy, it’s been scary at times and I am still working on leaning into the present moment during this turbulent time. The best way I’ve connected to the present moment and have become more comfortable with stillness is to set aside time for Mindful Silence.

We’ve all heard of Mediation and most of us have downloaded an app or have been practicing Mediation on our own. Meditation is a key to Mindfulness, and a big part of Mediation is sitting with oneself peacefully in Mindful Silence. Practicing giving yourself moments of stillness will help you improve your practice. If you’ve ever been to a yoga class that gives you a silent savasana (final resting pose), you’ve already been doing this Mindfulness practice!

Practice Simply Being

They key isn’t just to be silent, but to immerse yourself in the present. You can practice this by making your cup of coffee without any distractions, sip your tea while gazing out your window, or even sitting (or laying) in savasana pose for 5 - 10 minutes. If you’re a beginner, at first try to do “one thing less” while you’re doing everyday tasks like showering, doing the dishes, or even driving. This “one thing less” could be turning off your podcast, or music. Practice simply being. You can always start small and build on your practice, remember Mindfulness is a journey not a destination - be gentle with yourself.

Benefits of Silence

There are countless benefits of Mindfulness - for this practice specifically it allows you to train your brain to focus on the present moment. Generally, anxiety and stress live in the future and our depression lives in the past. The more we focus on the present moment, even for 10 min a day, can help us improve our overall mental health over time.

To learn more about how to grow your Mindfulness Practice, I’m hosting a virtual Mindfulness Workshop Series starting October 27th.