My Menopause Blog

When I told one of my friends that I was booked into an eight day, silent, mindfulness meditation retreat her first response was -”Geez, I’d really want to talk about that!”

In fact, not talking was easy for me and at times down right glorious. Generally speaking, talking takes energy - even when we want to yak our brains out. Given I’ve got the added challenge of sporting a neurological disorder which messes with my capacity to take in multiple streams of info, think on my feet and spew the right response at the right time, having a verbal vacation was my idea of bliss.

Of course there’s more to silence than just not talking. Once my mouth closed, my brain went into overdrive and thinking happened, and happened and happened some more. When I could step away from myself for a moment or two and bear witness to my maniacal brains busyness, it made me laugh - internally of course so as not to disturb.

Few of the thoughts had any merit what so ever. Most were lodged in the future or were replays of the past. Many were loops of stories that I tell myself - stories that neither serve in any positive way or are particularly true. The mind has a way of twisting reality into dualistic knots of tight or loose. Imagine the revolt when our instructors encouraged us to set our course for middle ground.

May all creatures be at peace and ease in the world. May the silence of a moment caress your soul and heart. And may the possibility of saying less bring you to knowing more.

Sue Richards