30 Minutes. No music. No friends. No technology.
Today, for 30 minutes, I sat in silence. Absolute silence, being alone.
There is no doubt that the silence of solitude frightens people, although most would hate to admit it. But for me, I find it healing to admit that as scary as solitude is, it is a necessity which I think every one should embrace. Having some time out, alone is a therapy most people are missing.
So today, I put myself up for the solitude challenge. It was thanksgiving on Monday, so I figured there'd be no better day to just take time out, alone, away from everything. By everything I mean I turned off my cell phone, I shut my mac down, I turned off the TV, I put my ipad away, I had no reading material, and I had to drop my kindle which i had been reading a book on, for 30 minutes to reflect.
As I prepared for the challenge, I couldnt help but think about how dependent I had become on technology. Seriously?! If i was not tweeting on my phone, I was looking up something on my laptop, or watching something off Netflix on my TV...and the worst part is, I actually felt seperated from these gadgets, as I stowed them all away.
I decided to take 30 minutes on thanksgiving day to sit at my balcony, and just stare. Luckily, the Winnipeg winter had decided to stall for another week or so, so sitting outside in 17 degrees centigrade was just pure bliss.
I reflected on how silent it was. I watched the birds fly so freely and I saw them enjoy life. They seemed so care free. They never worry about what to eat, or where to sleep. It occurred to me that we humans have found ways to always occupy ourselves and complicate everything. It got me wondering about how much activity we fill our lives with searching for jobs, finally finding the job, spending so much time at the job, all in the bid to pay the bills and live a happier life, which we never end up doing because we are chasing something else.
It could get so exhausting.
As I sat, I remembered something a friend of mine used to say before she passed away. She'd always say, "life is what happens when you are caught up making plans".
My 30 minute solitude challenge was up, but as I stood up to answer a call on my cell phone that was ringing, I decided that this what I challenge I wanted to take every other week.
The process was calming and healing.
Would you take the solitude challenge? I challenge you to.
There is no doubt that the silence of solitude frightens people, although most would hate to admit it. But for me, I find it healing to admit that as scary as solitude is, it is a necessity which I think every one should embrace. Having some time out, alone is a therapy most people are missing.
So today, I put myself up for the solitude challenge. It was thanksgiving on Monday, so I figured there'd be no better day to just take time out, alone, away from everything. By everything I mean I turned off my cell phone, I shut my mac down, I turned off the TV, I put my ipad away, I had no reading material, and I had to drop my kindle which i had been reading a book on, for 30 minutes to reflect.
As I prepared for the challenge, I couldnt help but think about how dependent I had become on technology. Seriously?! If i was not tweeting on my phone, I was looking up something on my laptop, or watching something off Netflix on my TV...and the worst part is, I actually felt seperated from these gadgets, as I stowed them all away.
I decided to take 30 minutes on thanksgiving day to sit at my balcony, and just stare. Luckily, the Winnipeg winter had decided to stall for another week or so, so sitting outside in 17 degrees centigrade was just pure bliss.
I reflected on how silent it was. I watched the birds fly so freely and I saw them enjoy life. They seemed so care free. They never worry about what to eat, or where to sleep. It occurred to me that we humans have found ways to always occupy ourselves and complicate everything. It got me wondering about how much activity we fill our lives with searching for jobs, finally finding the job, spending so much time at the job, all in the bid to pay the bills and live a happier life, which we never end up doing because we are chasing something else.
It could get so exhausting.
As I sat, I remembered something a friend of mine used to say before she passed away. She'd always say, "life is what happens when you are caught up making plans".
My 30 minute solitude challenge was up, but as I stood up to answer a call on my cell phone that was ringing, I decided that this what I challenge I wanted to take every other week.
The process was calming and healing.
Would you take the solitude challenge? I challenge you to.