Silence can be without strictness. Without prohibitions. Without hush. Without 'shhh!'\u2018
\nIt can be a loving invitation to play with releasing the simultaneously pleasurable and painful attachment to internal and external noise that is part of our common drug addiction.<\/p>\n
There is probably no one silence, rather we each have our own. And it is not measured in decibels, it has a different scale. A silence retreat is an opportunity to explore one's own silence \u2013 alone and in the company of others.<\/p>\n
There may be sounds on a silent retreat, even loud sounds. Maybe the wind is noisy, maybe the sea is roaring, maybe the music is pounding and thundering. A retreat is not necessarily solemn, at least not self-serious, there can be both pressure and a slap on the silence.<\/p>\n
And then perhaps there is still a background of subdued silence. A glimpse of inner undisturbed equilibrium. An experience of the pause between the sounds. Of the great silence behind the music.
\nThe feeling that silence is finally speaking.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Snapshots from this summer's silence retreat, Silence Yoga, at \u00d8ster L\u00f8kke by the North Sea:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t\t