photo by Sadeqa Johnson (Toes)For the past few weeks my children and I have been practicing silent breakfast once or twice a week. Mommies I know what you are thinking. How does she do that? Right? A chunk of the busy morning and all the kids are quiet. Well it all started with me. I've been dying to go on a silent retreat for at least two years and after putting it out in the Universe I was final blessed with the opportunity. I spent an entire weekend at Kripalu http://www.kripalu.org/ in Barre, Massachusetts alone. With no responsibility for my family, I drove myself three and half hours to the perfect little retreat in the Berkshires for my introduction to Silence.
The workshop was called Listening Below the Noise which is also the title of Anne LeClaire's book on the meditation of practicing silence http://www.anneleclaire.com/. Anne has been practicing silence every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month for 18 years. Interesting right? A 24-hour day of complete silence. Anne didn't even break her silence when President Clinton called to say that he loved her book. Talk about dedication. I am very fond of the 1st Spiritual Law of Success, "The Law of Pure Potentiality" which stresses the importance of meditation, practicing silence and communing with nature, so I had no problems diving right into the silent weekend. To describe the peace as tranquil is an understatement.
When I mentioned to Anne that it would be hard for me to incorporate silence into my home life with Mr. ESPN (age 7), Prima Diva (age 5) and Little Miss Bossy (age 2 1/2) she said, "kids have a way of surprising you. Trust me they'll love it." As a parting gift Anne gave me three lamenated signs that simply stated "I'm a having a day of silence." When I gave the kids their signs and explained their assignment they were jazzed and couldn't wait until the next morning for our first Silent Breakfast. The next morning I woke each child and presented them with their sign. They nodded and headed downstairs. Silent breakfast is just that. The kids must be silent through breakfast and can not speak until they reach upstairs for dressing. The first day everyone did wonderfully but by the third breakfast Mr. ESPN was over it. "This is boring," he complained. I simply reminded him that silent breakfast was a practice not a punishment. I assure the children that by practicing silence in the morning, it gives them a chance to go to school with their minds clear. Little Miss Bossy is surprisingly the best at keeping her mouth shut during breakfast, while Prima Diva likes to mime and hand gesture what she wants. This morning she became frustrated almost to the point of tears when I couldn't figure out that she wanted a paper towel. We are having our ups and down but like anything it's a journey not a destination. It's a wonderful way to start the day with the children, and if you don't have children just try it for yourself. Practicing silence is another way to solve problems and get to the juicy details of your authentic self.
It's important to remember that intentional silence is much different than accidental. If you plan to be silent over a stretch of time make an active commitment and like meditation watch how your life changes.
Let me know how it goes.
Love, Light and Laughter!
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