Sometimes I walk on winter days when the snow absorbs so much sound that the silence is palatable.  When I stand still all I can hear is a bird pushing its wings against the air above me.

In the late fall I walk in the aspens. All summer long the birds and leaves spend their time singing together in the slightest breeze. In the late fall the branches are leaf free and the few remaining birds have very little to say. Quiet.

Today I went on an early spring walk in the high desert. Wind was the dominant sound today. When the wind paused I heard a distant airplane.

Where do you get a little bit of quiet?

Sometimes when I walk outside in a more populated area I wonder what the world sounded like 150 years ago. No airplanes, no automobiles, far less machinery.

 I’ve lived some of my life in noisy urban areas on high-traffic streets with freeways close by.  I’ve lived some of my life in a quiet hollow at the end of a small canyon. The levels of sound have been very different.

How does the sound level of our world affect us?

According to the World Health Organization and other researchers the increased noise level of our life is not all good.

This increased noise is linked to cardiovascular disease -specifically heart attacks and high blood pressure, sleep disturbance, and tinnitus- ringing in the ears.

 The increased noise levels of our world are particularly problematic for children. Children who live in noisy environments or attend schools near airplane flight paths, railways or highways are slower in their cognitive development and language skills and they have lower reading scores. Chronic noise impairs healthy child development.

Living in too much noise is a problem. 

What does a little dose of quiet do for us?

With just 2 minutes of sitting in silence/quiet we can experience:  

• Improved blood circulation 
• Reduced blood pressure
• Lowered  levels of cortisol and adrenaline 
• Lowered sense of tension and stress

Our Brain in Silence

10 to 15 minutes of sitting in silence/quiet can increase our ability to remember by 10 to 30%.  Studies find that when people who have a neurological injury, like a stroke or amnesia, sit in a darkened quiet room they can improve recall by 14-49%.   

After 2 hours of silence we begin creating new brain cells for learning and recall.

When we relax in a quiet place and our brain is not being stimulated by noise it can move to the default mode. In this mode we integrate information in fresh ways, arrive at mental clarity and ah ha moments.

Studies show that when we work in silence, rather than with speech or noise around us, we will improve focus and attention. We experience greater cognition and lower stress levels. 

Time in silence can also: 

• Boost our immune system
• Promote good hormone regulation
• Prevent plaque formation in arteries
• Steady our breathing
• Reduce muscle tension

God and Quiet

Do you hear from God better when you’re in the quiet? Many people do.

When Elijah heard from God outside his cave it was not in the noisy wind, fire, or earthquake. Elijah heard God in a quiet that was as gentle as a breath. 1 Kings 19:11-13

Soul Sculpting Project: A little Intentional Quiet

Pick your level:  All Levels bring benefits

• If you are brand new to intentional quiet try the 30 second Warm- up Level
• If you say, “Silence! Not me.” Try the 1 minute  A Little Taste Level
• If you say, “Okay, I’ll try this” Choose the 2 minute Full Sip Level
• If you say, “I can do this and I want more”, try the 5 minute Full Glass Level

Step 1:

• Find/create a place where you can be quiet. No music, as little background sound as possible.

Step 2:

• Sit for your chosen time in silence/quiet.

That’s it. 

 If you want to talk with God, you can do that. If you want to just relax, you can do that.

Your mind may race around.  You may be interrupted.  That’s all fine. 

The next time you try some intentional quiet, maybe you won’t be interrupted.

Your mind will probably still race. If you want to address a noisy mind you can do that.  A simple (not easy but simple) way is to give your mind something to do, like watching your breath or looking at nature.

I do hope you find some pleasure in this project and that your life becomes a little richer for having chosen to create a little intentional quiet.

For God alone my soul waits in silence.       Ps. 62:1a

Gratitude for the work of the World Health Organization, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the many researchers and clinical psychologists who have studied the topic of Silence.