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According to a 2007 study by the University of Arizona, an average man speaks 15,669 words a day as compared to 16,215 words a day spoken by an average woman. That is a lot of words! This makes me wonder how come people have so much to say.
I now live with my very old father who is a man of few words. And no more than 20 sentences are exchanged between us during the day. Our lives are mostly silent. And I find the silence extremely cathartic. I am left with my own thoughts, and my father with his. What pervades the house is purgative silence. During such silent hours of the day, I get many, many thoughts—some good, some disturbing. But because I have no one to talk to, I become highly self-focused. I get a lot of time to sift through what has happened in the past, what’s to come in future and what I need to do in this moment.
And the clarity of such thinking is not possible if I am talking the whole day.
Silence makes thoughts deeper, and clearer. Being silent is a technique that has been professed for millennia. Remaining silent is the first step to take while meditating. Silence purges the mind like clothes in a washing machine. It offers distinct perspectives, different understanding. It works like a laxative that helps throw out all the unwanted and toxic, demeaning thoughts that occur during a personal crisis. It sharpens the mind to face the crisis head on with renewed courage.
There is no shame in a hasty retreat into solitude and silence when one is faced with a pressing and damaging crisis. It may be considered cowardice by people. But what emerges from such a retreat is renewed resolve and daring to face the crisis.
Silence wipes the slate clean and renews hope and positivity. It helps in charting out a course of action that best suits the crisis that one is facing. It detoxifies the mind and makes it sharp. It strengthens the mind to face adversities.
Silence is priceless when it is practiced by a troubled mind. For people who suffer from anxiety it is the first step toward recovery. It makes the mind and its experiences joyful.
When all else has been done and dusted, try silence each day for 30 minutes. Silence is perhaps the most cost effective solution for a troubled mind.