“In solitude there is healing. Speak to your soul. Listen to your heart. The answers are often found in the absence of noise.” - Dodinsky

There is no denying we live in a society of continuous communication and busyness, with very few moments of deliberate silence.  Since our lives are surrounded by noise, the thought of silence can be frightening to some.

However, the more we deprive ourselves of deliberate moments of silence, the more we benefit from it. Typically, there are two mindsets seeking to nurture quietness into their daily routine; those who want quiet but are too busy and those who want quiet but are too intimidated. In this blog we will address how to find intentional moments of silence for both mindsets.

First, we will address the busy bee. For most, designated moments of silence only come when we hit the hay. Times of solitude can be hard to find while juggling work, school, children and the never ending to-do list. But like anything, noise, communication, schedules and general stimulus should have a balance. But how do we find moments of silence when the schedule is stretching you thin or others depend on you?

Then there is the other end of the spectrum.

Since our general surroundings are filled with noise pollution, we lack an understanding of how to enter into times of silence. It’s not surprising  that our go-to distraction is our smartphones. Typically they are the last thing we look at before we fall asleep and the first thing we look at when we wake up. Our phones often serve as an alarm clock and we spend many moments throughout the day absentmindedly through social media when we don’t know what else to do. What if we have become so used to the busyness around us, the thought of being alone (and that includes without the phone), makes us anxious? What if we are afraid of what we will discover about ourselves when there is nothing but silence?

“Blessed are those who do not fear solitude, who are not afraid of their own company.” - Paulo Coelho

Both of these viewpoints bring wonderful questions that are beneficial to explore. Most of us are busy and distracted, but we fail to see how much more at ease we would be from daily stress when we practice frequent moments of quietness and solitude.

“Let silence be the art you practice.” - Rumi

Quietness can be a virtue, and the more we practice we will find more grow opportunities of self discovery, healing, rest and enlightenment. But like all new things, we flourish in practice. It is difficult to get into a space where you are truly alone. Floating however,  provides 90 minutes of intentional silence and solitude. Here are some tips to help you calm your fears of silence and get you in a regular practice of quietness.

  1. You have time - 90 minutes every other week is more than possible. Like anything, making time to float and escape the noise is best done when scheduled. Take time to book your floats each month in advance and make it a priority to keep them. When we take time for ourselves, we are more equipped to serve others.

  2. Don’t worry about “doing it right” - the first step of silencing yourself comes with choosing to do so. Take one thing at a time and the rest will follow.

  3. Broaden your horizon - set goals for yourself as you practice quietness. “Today I will find something positive about my day regardless of the to - do list.”

  4. Practice Small Moments - take time to be quiet in your everyday. Wake up 15 minutes earlier or stay up 15 minutes later to allow yourself to be free from all distractions.

Practicing helps us relinquish our control whether it be from the schedule or the cell phone. You will find yourself being more mindful of what you wouldn’t notice prior and your general anxiety about the day will lessen as this becomes more of a habit.