World Edge: What If Silence Isn’t So Scary?
One edge I encounter again and again — both in the world and with my clients — is the fear of silence, of stillness. I've learned: when I stay with that discomfort, something miraculous opens.
A part of the Integrating Growth: The End of 2024 Edge Collection - I have been mining lessons from insights from this year and this one has been one I’ve been pondering a while and had my own aha moment with this year. Excited to bring this front and center into 2025.
One edge I encounter again and again — both in the world and with my clients — is the fear of silence, of stillness. Slowing down to listen, to simply be, is so often avoided and justified by how ‘busy’ life is and how much ‘needs to get done.’ These are defense mechanisms for a deeper fear: what will i hear? how do i be with myself?
Scared of hearing a truth that isn’t aligned with how im living. scared to hear something that I didn’t expect. scared to hear something i’ve been avoiding. the myth is that if we keep busy it won’t impact us, the myth is that I can ignore it. my clients they want freedom, want peace, want joy so badly - and what’ve I’ve found is the that they live in the silence - being brave enough to slow down enough to hear your freedom, your peace and your joy are waiting for you.
I know this edge intimately. It confronts me like, a 6 year old’s fear of a monster in the closet, before entering a seven-day silent retreat. I know underneath the daily chatter, there are layers of hums and dialogue that I am scared to hear. But what I’ve learned is this: when I stay with that discomfort, something miraculous opens.
This poem emerged from surrendering to silence as my teacher, revealing what lies on the other side.
My hope is that this moves you.
I hope this poem offers permission for you to sit or walk or dance with silence more.
I hope this offers you a new way of meeting silence.
Silence wants to be known by you, and she is the kind of gift that meets you only when you slow down - someone who has true inner peace and joy is someone who can sit with silence.
Sit back and relax as I read it to you or you are welcome to read along.
Sitting on Shabbat, day 6 of my week long silent meditation retreat, we were beginning our 6:15am, 45 minute sit in the meditation hall, and I looked out the open door and felt the early morning stillness outside, a few birds waking up and singing sweetly, the California morning fog over the mountains in the distance, and I was overcome with this delicious feeling inside of me, feeling the yumminess of the stillness and a smile slowly stretched across my face - and i settled in my seat a little more.
And, then I turned my awareness into the room I was sitting in, surrounded by 50 people in complete silence, each one in their own world, a moment of deep belonging and support, I, holding a hot cup of my favorite tea in my hands, something that helped me stay “alert” during my sits, and again, felt this wave of deliciousness shiver through me, and then this poem came through me like a lightning bolt hitting an electric pole, it moved through me like a channel to share this message with you.
Silence is Delicious By: Nasya Miller.
Silence is delicious.
I want to eat silence for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Silence is delicious.
Like fresh whipped cream with strawberries.
Like the first sip of coffee made for you just the way you like it.
Like ice cream on hot summer day.
Silence is delicious.
Like sleeping in late with nowhere to go.
Like deep belly laughs with dear friends.
Like the warmth from a bonfire on a cool night.
Like a kiss on the forehead just because.
Like walking around in a possy of friends wearing pom pom necklaces 😉
Silence is delicious.
Like a cool breeze on a warm summer night.
Like a butterfly landing on your arm just for a moment.
Like watching the sunset over the ocean.
Like running freely in a never ending meadow of wildflowers.
Silence is medicine.
Like your mama’s hot chicken soup when you’re sick.
Like a warm bath after a long day.
Like getting picked up from the airport from a lover.
Like trusting your intuition and going with it.
Like feeling the divine taking care of you at every turn.
Like trusting it keeps getting better.
Silence is like a dear friend.
She tells you jokes that only you understand.
She holds you in your tears without trying to fix it.
She laughs with you as you laugh at yourself lovingly.
She respects your choices.
She cheers you on, like the best cheerleader there is.
She waits patiently for when you’re ready.
Silence is like a lover.
He whispers sweet nothings in your ear.
He opens doors to unexpected treasures.
He holds a mirror up so you become your best self, not letting you be anything but.
He serenades you with nature melodies.
He seduces you into surrender.
He holds you as you cry deep tears and kisses them reminding you you’re not alone.
He takes you on spontaneous adventures.
He loves you exactly as you are.
People ask “how do you do it? Stay silent for a week?” Followed by, “I could never.”
And, I say, “Silence is the easy part.”
Because it’s when I get silent, that the whole world becomes alive.”
The question I ask back is, “can I stay with silence a little longer?”