Posts Tagged silence

One Bad Apple

November 2nd, 2010 by Elizabeth

You’ve heard that phrase, right? One bad apple spoils the whole bunch? I’ve recently been reminded in a very big way that that phrase can also be used in regards to our bodies. When one part of our physicality is out of whack, so follows the rest of our body. And that’s the time we need to dig down deep and use all of our tools to bring us back to some semblance of balance.

A little over a week ago I underwent Lasik eye surgery. I have worn glasses for 43 years, so the notion of being in life without an external means of eyesight correction thrilled me no end. But no one prepared me for the post-op period while awaiting the resurrection of my perfect sight! Oh, sure, the doctors told me that my vision would be clear and then blurry off and on for the first 2 weeks, but they didn’t mention all of the other challenges that may come up (I understand, as my challenges may be different from others). It certainly has been a reminder as to how the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual bodies are so very connected.

My biggest challenge this week has not been with seeing far away or up-close, but with my mid-vision being quite blurry and hazy or what I have come to call “fluffy”. And everything around my house seems to be in this mid-vision, so I have come to find out that fluffy vision can be very disorientating, frustrating, and exhausting.

A friend pointed out that I had done something very violent to my eyes–had a flap cut in my corneas and then had my eyes doused with pulses of laser light. So of course my eyes–my physical body– have been healing, but so have been my emotional and mental bodies. For over four decades I have gone through the act of putting on glasses to make my way in the world. My eyesight was so bad that I was totally lost without them (You’ve heard of 20/20 vision? Well mine was about 20/800!). I was addicted to this external source, but all of a sudden, I didn’t need it any more and, even though the fluffy eyesight was annoying, my glasses would not have helped.

As bizarre as it may sound, I was actually grieving the loss of my glasses. I happened to find them the other day and put them on, remarking at how strong they were for me now. But at the same time the familiarity of them on my face reminded me of and felt like an old friend, and I was swept up in a sudden wave of sadness.

Falling away this week were not only actual physical perceptions I had of the world, but emotional and mental ones as well. To adjust to this monumental life change, I have called upon just about all of the seven personal alchemy steps I have just recently shared with you (except the two that involved writing). The ones that I found most helpful were that of meditating and listening to music. The musical vibrations really helped to soothe and sitting in the silence allowed me find peace amidst all of the inner turmoil.

It has been a challenge–and I may still not be completely out of the woods yet, but I have a new appreciation for something that I may have taken for granted all of these years and a new appreciation of how delicate our inner balance is. When one part of us is off, so there goes the rest of our being.

And this can be a beautiful analogy to the world in which we live. Can you see that? When one of us is off, there goes the rest of us. Take notice how integrated and connected we all are. How lovely and amazing. Fascinating lessons everywhere!

Silence is Golden

April 21st, 2009 by Elizabeth

Have you ever tried to be completely silent? (No, sleeping doesn’t count!) I mean just choose not to talk for a period of time, even outside of any meditation time? I had tried this before, but I always came up with convenient excuses why I couldn’t: “Well, I HAVE to talk to my dogs. They always need praise”. Or “what if someone calls?”. Or “if I go to see my parents or friends during that time how would I explain it to them?”. On and on I went. Until just the other day, I was forced to just simply shut up.

I had developed a cold on a recent trip to LA, and upon returning I held a channeling event. It was spectacular, but I began to lose my voice the next day. I became concerned as last fall I had experienced something similar and recalled the struggle it had brought. Another concern was that I have two more channeling events this week and, obviously, need my voice for that! I saw that there was much being released in my throat chakra, but also realized that I JUST HAD TO STOP TALKING. Seemed easy enough. That is, for the first 20 seconds. I began watching what was going on internally. It was as if I could see and feel all those words coming up that wanted to come out and take flight in the world. But I just watched them as I sat at my computer and worked. I then ventured downstairs and instead of cooing and heaping praises on my dogs verbally, I just rubbed and patted them, smiled at them, and gave them their much loved “biskees” and carrots.  They truly felt my love without all of the extra verbiage. But as I tooled around my house, I realized there was one person that I really really wanted to talk to out loud. It was ME! I never realized until that moment how much I talk to myself! But I suppressed the desire and continued on my day. Going to the store, just smiling at the clerk, and holding back my wanting to sing along to my favorite tunes in the car. Quite surprisingly, after not too much time, I felt the most amazing shift within my being. I felt a new sense of power, of inner strength. Perhaps all that talking to myself spins my energy outside of me and scatters me around. I felt more focused, centered, peaceful, and grounded. And after a while, I found that I really didn’t want to talk as it felt so good not to talk! I never thought a sore throat could be such a blessing and such an amazing teacher.

I highly recommend finding ways to put silence into your day–outside of your meditations if possible. The rewards will astound you. And perhaps the YOU that you discover will astound you.

So the next time someone says to you, “I can’t hear myself think! Can you just be quiet?” Thank them and do just that! Consider that you have been just given a fabulous gift…