Do You Give Yourself the Gifts of Stillness and Silence?

As the generator hums in the background, I write on a day that I barely realized was Christmas until my dad called a few moments ago.

The area experienced massive wind and rainstorms from Christmas Eve through Christmas morning. A 100 foot tree blew over and knocked out the power lines in front of the next door neighbor’s house.

At 6:30 PM on Christmas night, the internet nor power has been restored. I used the generator for 1 hour earlier today to turn on the heat and to charge my battery. I am using it now for an hour to do the same. But today felt serene to me not because of the Christmas spirit being doled out by humanity, but because Mother Nature gave my wife and I the gift of stillness and silence for much of the day.

We woke at 7 AM to the sound of generators whirring in the neighborhood. But after morning sessions, every one faded away. People likely want to conserve gas if no one restores the power overnight. My wife and I walked the dog for 90 minutes in a quiet, peaceful, warm rain. We returned home, took showers and fell asleep for 2 hours. The entire time I did not once look at the internet because I almost solely work through my laptop. I rarely use minutes on my phone.

I spent 2 minutes posting an image of the tree strewn across the street to Facebook. Silence reigned for the rest of the day. No lights until a few moments ago. Darkness. Stillness. Peace. Serenity. Nature. Naps. Pulling back. No distractions.

No need to wish people holiday greetings. No need to respond to people wishing me holiday greetings. I love my friends. I enjoy Christmas. But I am not the type of guy who chooses to be joyous 1 day each year. I go within routinely to face, feel and release fears blocking my day, allowing me to largely release conditional happiness to find greater unconditional happiness, love and peace of mind.

No Obligation

I am no Grinch. But being almost completely unaware of Christmas greeting obligations because I sat in a quiet, peaceful house without lights, internet access or anything save the sounds of Mother Nature felt relaxing to me. I love holiday cheer. But I also observed today how I sometimes feel under obligation out of a sense of guilt because everybody else seems to do those things.

Being still alerts you to the monkey-like meanderings of the mind. Sitting in silence expands your awareness to observe your mind and its loves and fears as each really is.

Is there a better gift to give yourself than silence and inner stillness?

How often do you give yourself these joint gifts?

Stillness and Silence

Stillness reveals all of your problems to you. Sitting in silence literally dissolves all illusory fear as being quiet reveals fear feels real, and appears to be real but fear is not real.

Being still and spending time in silence purifies your mind of the fears causing your inner noise and internal chaos.

Doesn't that sound like a gift?