In a world full of constant stimuli, last week, I reached my peak. I felt overwhelmed by the pressures I put on myself as a response to my external environment. What I thought I needed to do to succeed in life didn't feel authentic. I found myself becoming significantly absorbed back into the illusion of how things are supposed to be rather than creating a life that is in alignment with my true self and purpose.
No, no, no! I will not get sucked in again! As a result, I did what I felt called to do - retreat in silence. During this period, I did not speak 99% of the time. It was challenging to completely be in silence since I was still around an active environment and not in a secluded, designated space well-suited for a retreat. I did not use technology unless it was urgent (like the photo I took above to remind me of this moment 😁). I spent more time in nature. Journaled. Read books. Meditated longer and more frequently.
It was such a peaceful and freeing place to be that I considered staying silent forever at one point. No joke. During this experience, what stood out to me was that I became more aware of the synchronicities and subtleties of life, and recognized, even more so, that there is so much more to life than what we are told and tell ourselves each day. I'm talking about the kind of knowledge you CANNOT gain from books. It expands beyond this world and reality which led me to discover much more about the true essence of being a spirit in a human suit.
I will definitely be doing this more periodically. Now, I can only speak for myself but I HIGHLY recommend retreating into a place of silence and see where it leads you. There are some really eye-opening discoveries you may encounter while doing so.
If this is new to you, my advice is to do what's attainable for you.
I started off doing half of the day to see how I would respond. From there, I was able to add two full days following after. Weekends are best. If it's more feasible for you, start with a few hours and gradually increase it.
It's ok to make some adjustments here and there, especially when it is necessary.
I made sure that I wasn't hard on myself for breaking the silence at times because things happen whether they are in our control or not. If you have people who live with you (partner, roommates, kids, etc.), set some rules beforehand. It does get quite challenging but it's possible. Just make sure that you focus on what is realistic for you. P.S. Being in silence may likely bring up some nasty gunk that needs releasing, and by gunk I mean the resurfacing of emotional blockages. I surely released a good amount. Actually, it was easier for me to let things go in this space because I was more observant and less reactive. Noted!