”You can never run away. Not ever. The only way out is in” – Junot Diaz

I like silence! Not the ”uncomfortable” silence we sometimes experience when we believe we ”should” say something or the silence of an empty house when we are missing our loved ones…but the silence that comes from nature until it gets soo deep that it penetrates our minds.

When I first heard about Vipassana (2019) and decided to do it, the most attractive thing to me was the ”10 days in silence”…And today (2023), after a couple of experiences, silence is still the thing I like the most about it!

Like a good night of sleep, silence allows us to rest. When I choose to be silent, it’s like I am decluttering my mind and creating a little more space for myself.

Coming out from my last Vipassana yesterday, which was a short 3-day course, I realized this time I forgot the sound of my voice. Not too bad for someone who used to speak quietly to myself (just trying to help process the thoughts of a monkey mind) or useless chats to insects and plants (hahaha, guess I was missing interaction and not appreciating this precious gift of nature).

One of the pillars of Vipassana`s code of conduct is ”noble silent”. When we are in silence, we avoid harming others with words or speaking lies. To me its also about creating a habit for the mind so that when I am in the ”real world”, I can think before speaking:

• Is it necessary to be said?
• Is it true?
• Will it help?
• Can I communicate with kindness?

Of course, I am far from getting it all right, but that’s the intention. As I learned from the book ”Atomic Habits”, the goal is not to be silent (or to meditate); the goal is to develop myself to become a better person for me and others.

Nature offers a silence that can be an invitation to a stable mind. It doesn’t need to be on a meditation retreat; hiking and beach walks can have a similar benefit for me as well.

I hope you, too, find your silent place and enjoy this underlying sense of peace and serenity!

*Don’t get me wrong, I love good music, a good laugh, a good chat with people I love, and mundane things as well – like the sound of my old car turning on (so I know it’s working properly).

* Here is a radio I found a time ago that gives me a taste of the silence I am talking about: https://earth.fm/