"Your treasure -your perfection- is within you already. But to claim it, you must leave the busy commotion of the mind and abandon the desires of the ego and enter into the silence of the heart." — Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love)

The Sound of Silence: I Dare to You to Give it a Try

Silence is the relative or total lack of audible sound. By analogy, the word silence may also refer to any absence of communication, even in media other than speech. Silence is also used as total communication, in reference to non verbal communication and spiritual connection."

Okay so like many of you I saw the new movie "Eat. Pray. Love." starring one of my favorites Julia Roberts. I had not yet read the book, so I did not know what to expect (I am now almost done with the book on my e-reader) but I loved the movie, and its positive life affirming message. For those who have read the book, you know that there is a part where Liz (main character) is in an Ashram in India and she meets a woman who has on a sticker that says "in silence"--and this simply means that for a period of time she said no audible words and just reflected inward with silence sun-up to sun-down. Well, I was very intrigued by this proposition because like the character Liz in the book and movie--I am miss personality--I love people--I love to TALK!!!! So, I decided that I needed to get "still, re-centered and silent" all at once because lately I have just been blah--too much on air TV, too much analysis, too much commentary, too much arguing--too much--just too much and my spirit was drained.

All I can say is that if you, like me, have been plagued with sleeplessness, worry, fear, angst, lack of energy, aches & pains, messed up relationships, anger, broken dreams, heart-ache, disappointment, hurt, financial stress, and on an on you may want to give this a whirl. I started with a meditation used by Buddhist called "Loving-Kindness" which re-centers you on loving yourself and releasing those who have hurt or harmed you. I then filled my head with total silence--and then refilled it with prayer, scripture, positive messages, meditation, relaxation, massage, baths, and lots of sleep. Then I wrote a balance sheet of what emotions I was feeling and who I needed to forgive, deal with and release from my life for good. Boy was that sheet longggggggggggggggggggg!

My point is this: We are all human. We are all fragile. We are all made for relationship, love, and fellowship. When we sacrifice those critical values for "BEING BUSY"--for " LIVING IN DRAMA" or for the "Pursuit of THINGS"--our mind will not only suffer, our relationships with God will crumble and our bodies will reflect all of the above. Trust me I know! So here is what I want to say to men and women alike. STOP the madness. Take a time out. Just two days for YOU. If you have kids pay a baby-sitter, or drop them at your mom's, but take a day or two for YOU. Shut the world OUT and get QUIET. I cannot begin to tell you what I heard in my silence--what things came up--what pathways I know I need to walk and those I need to never walk again. Your spirit will minister to your needs if you allow it to do so.

You all know me. I am not some hocus pocus, self proclaimed prophetess, etc. I don't believe in that and I never will. I do believe in opening my heart and mind up. I believe that life is more than duty, obligation and misery. I want to be happy-and damnit I am going to be happy no matter what it takes. I desereve it. I am worth it. I am loved. I am loving. I am kind. I am compassionate. And so is each of you--if you will allow the time to find that person who is likely buried under the rubble of busyness!

Silence as they say: is golden

Sophia