shhhh….it’s called silent for a reason

i’m going on an exciting adventure, a really quiet one.  anyone who knows me knows that i am a pretty quiet person, i guess that is to be expected given that i am well off the introvert charts.  but i am going to go on a weekend silent retreat.  no talking from friday evening to sunday afternoon. no music, no cell phone, no computer, no tv, nothing.  just me, the jesuit monks and whoever else might show up to try this spiritual exercise of silence for the weekend.  i am about as equally excited and nervious as possibe.  forty eight hours is a long time of silence, even for one as introverted as me.  what if i just have scream 26 hours into it?  ok, i’ve never really screamed in my life.  what if i bust out in song at hour 33? now you know that’s possible.  it’s just a long time.  but i am really excited too.  i think it will be an amazing opportunity to get away from the insanity that is my life and take time to just be.  now that’s something i’m terrible at.

so what is the purpose of a silent retreat, you might ask, as i did when i first considered doing it.  i am amused by this quote from the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy:

If human beings don’t keep exercising their lips, he thought, their brains start working.

silence is an uncomfortable sound for most people.  we are surrounded by noise constantly: tv, radio, ipod, other people, the sound of our own voice, the list can go on and on.  so the idea of the silent retreat is simple, you go somewhere away from all of that kind of noise, and don’t talk for a short period of time (or potentially a long period of time if you want).  people have described what happens during this time in a variety of ways.  the hitchhikers guide, i think accurately points out, you can hear yourself think, which is often hard to do with all of the other voice in today’s society.  you may meditate, or seek the guidance or the voice of a higher power like god.  i think talking to god and seeing what he has to say to you is a great idea so i’m hopeful for lots of that and also hopeful for the chance to hear my own voice because i think it is easy to let my own voice get drowned out by the many voices in today’s world.

i’ve heard from others who have done this type of thing that it can be very significant and even life-changing.  i don’t want to put too much pressure on myself or the event, but i’m excited to see what happens and i think it will be really good.  so don’t call me.  it’s called silent for a reason.