On the evening before (Guru Puja Day) we sat down and agreed on the plan for the following day so everyone knew how the day would unfold, so that the minimum would need to be said or communicated on the silence day and we all would know our tasks of karma yoga and that they could be performed in silence.
We started the day with a yoga session which was the only time words were spoken by Shirley but those were kept to the bare minimum. A silence descended or more to the point was found within. We did not look at each other or communicate by signs or smiles, just stayed with our inner self which was most liberating. Nothing was expected, nothing was needed to be said or acknowledged.
Then followed Shirley’s delicious breakfast porridge cum muesli, eaten in silence, as are all meals at the ashram at Swami Ji’s insistence – making every meal special.
After breakfast we went for a silent walk starting with the minimum of fuss and marching around the ashram and through the woods, walking and listening to the sounds around us, the noise our presence made, each step creating vibration, each breath creating movement. That is when I noticed and felt in touch with the stillness which underlies everything. When we keep silent there is still vibration of sound and thought, even just the air moving, but it all plays on the stillness which is always there. Occasionally we would stop; that was as close to perfection as perfection could be.
When we got back to the ashram, we effortlessly preformed the tasks we had chosen the day before. Mine was to clean some of the windows. It always amazes me how many thoughts come to mind when I work. It needs my full concentration to stop the chatter of the mind. Shirley prepared lunch which, again, we ate in silence. It tasted delicious – as do all the meals at the ashram. We finished the afternoon with a yoga nidra session.
This completed the silence day. Now that we could talk we all felt it was almost difficult to start talking (even for me), because we all had felt very comfortable in the silence. At first it was strange not to just chatter away with the usual niceties of our language; good morning, how are you, etc… Talking to someone about them and about ourselves, we felt that it was not necessary. As the day went on, we became as one, moving by ourselves, but also as a unit. It felt like a beautiful piece of music – very harmonious.
Thank you Shirley for organising it so well. I can highly recommend the experience.
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