Have You Ever Tried a Silence Fast? Benefits and Insights

Have you ever tried doing a silence fast?

I know you're wondering what a silence fast is. A silence fast is exactly what it sounds like – practicing silence. If you are ready to stop reading, don't. Give me a chance!

Many different cultures have used silence fasting to provide a sense of grounding. Stop just for a moment and listen. What do you hear? I can hear my refrigerator running, my fingers hitting the keyboard, and a dog barking in the distance. Now try closing your eyes. Do you hear even more things?

We add so many sounds to our lives. If we don't have the television on, we have music playing in the background or our earbuds. Then we hear all the different notifications on our phones and even on other people's phones.

Sometimes we use noise to distract ourselves. We turn on music or the tv so that we don't feel alone or fill the quiet space. I want to challenge you to try a silence fast, even if it's just for two minutes.

Make peace with silence and transform your mind. Sit quietly for two minutes or longer if you can. Make yourself comfortable and close your eyes. Just listen. Make mental notes of what you hear. Focus on the silence.

Did you do it? What did you hear, or what didn't you hear? What was the experience like? Was it hard? Was it easy? Make it a point to do this once a day. Build up the amount of time you sit in silence each day. Can you make it ten minutes in silence? It sounds easy, but it is harder than most people think. Some will immediately have the thoughts that we need to be doing something; we need to be productive. Feel the discomfort and let it go. Comment below with your experiences.

Every person's misery is derived from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone. ~Blaise Pascal

Try these things to adjust to hearing the sound of silence:

• Turn off the TV when you are not actually watching it.

• Let your kids read a book instead of playing video games.

• Go for a walk without your cell phone.

• Ride in the car without the radio playing.

• Shut off your electronics when you eat meals for a break.

Unnecessary background noise wears on our nervous systems. Make quiet a priority in your home. Reflect on your goals. Pay attention to your feelings. You can hear things when you are quiet that you can't when you're busy.

Remember to comment below with your experiences!