Sanctuary Sunday - Silence is Golden

Sshhhh! Turn off your iPod. Mute your HDTV. Tune out all noise from any spot within your immediate surroundings. Let your mind calm so as to hear only the inner voice that is your moral compass.

Not so easy, is it! We are constantly bombarded by sounds. Most of them we have little or no control over. But some, we do.

Talking to others is one that we have a certain degree of control over. How often have you been engaged by someone who just will not come up for air during a "conversation". Many feel that it is rude for others not to respond when within sight - commonly referred to as "the silent treatment".

One of the "fads" during the 1990's was the Isolation or Sensory Deprivation Tank. This consisted of a vessel sufficient to hold enough heavily salted water such that a human body could be suspended without sinking. Once inside, earplugs and an eye mask were donned, and the chamber sealed so as to not allow any outside stimuli.

Many who tried this felt extremely uncomfortable. After all, if it not for our senses we would not be able to judge our body in relation to the world around us.

One does not have to resort to this extreme in order to benefit from occasional silence. The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society suggests the following to observe a "moment of silence" in our daily lives:

Designate a certain hour or half-hour of the day as a silent time, perhaps in the early morning.

• Eat a meal in silence. Silent eating helps you pay closer attention to your food and the changes in your appetite; you may find yourself eating less than usual.

• Use silence to help you become more attuned to your environment. Turn off the TV, computer, radio, or other noise-producing devices and listening closely to the ambient sounds that remain. Try to find a sound you’ve never noticed before.

• When conversing with others, listen to what they are saying. Often, instead of listening, we are thinking of what next to say.

Listening to others. Now there's a novel thought. Maybe we've discovered the secret to achieving World Peace, and all it took was a few minutes of silent blog reading!

Enjoy your day. Luxuriate in your Inner and Outer Sanctuary.

Look for the return of Tess and her popular blog in tomorrow's installment of Monday's Motivational Makeover.

Until then remember to believe,achieve, receive. SDG JBHIV