Seeking Health

“The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.”

—Zen proverb

During the holidays I've been meditating on the thought that it’s not easy to be quiet, or be in quiet, these days. Unless you live in a monastery, it’s practically a lost art. We all know it’s good for us. At some point, we’ve all heard someone say “It’s so loud in here I can’t hear myself think!” We know we must find quiet to recharge, to be able to truly hear the people who need our attention, to hear birdsong. But we’ve become part of a culture that tries to fill every second with sound, activity, excitement. How can we find the beauty of the Universe?

It's said that the enlightened carry quiet within them wherever they go, as a lamp carries its flame. Not being so lucky myself, I wouldn't know for sure. But I do know that those of us who have not yet reached that place can still find our own quiet, at least for a while. We can give up shopping at malls for entertainment. We can keep the TV turned off unless there’s a show we really want to see, rather than having it on at times as background noise. Ditto for music. We can walk away from the computer and laptop and iPad and smartphone, from Facebook and Twitter and Instagram. (It’s not like they won’t still be there when we get back.) We can, as John Muir suggests, seek beauty in nature, whether we’re in the mountains or just looking out the back door or sitting on our deck watching the sunset.

Once you’ve chosen your spot and turned off as much noise as possible, just sit. This is the hardest part. If you’re out in nature, but you’re hiking, or you’re skiing, or you’re sketching, or you’re taking photos, you’re not being quiet. You may not be singing or shouting or chasing people, but your mind is busy doing whatever you’re doing. It’s not quiet. You’re not quiet. This is true if you’re sitting at your deck as well. You’re not out there to take an inventory of repairs that need to be made. You’re there to just sit.

Not making time for this can leave us feeling drained, overwhelmed, scattered and incomplete, leading to poor health in mind, body and spirit. Sometimes we need help to heal from this kind of self abuse. Holistic health practices at Seeking Health take into account your whole being and all the different factors that impact your whole being - the food you nourish yourself with, the movements you use to activate your energy, the thoughts you use to limit or expand yourself and all the aspects of your lifestyle and environment that either heal you or harm you. 

What kind of support do you need to come back into balance at the start of this year? 

Maybe you need to upgrade your diet.

Maybe you need to relax your body.

Maybe you need to renew your energy.

Maybe you're too overwhelmed to know what you need.

Or maybe you just need the sound of silence?