Part of becoming mindful and aware is getting quiet.  In silence, you discover your true authentic self.  But getting your mind to stop its egoic fearful thinking can be a complicated process. 

Many studies are showing the benefits of mediation for stress relief and brain health.  So when Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey started the 21-Day Meditation series in 2013, I participated.  I felt that through this teaching, I could learn to meditate daily.  Well, I did meditate daily after this, but I wouldn’t say the constant chatter in my egoic mind subsided when I did. 

In the summer of 2014, I started to take yoga classes three evenings each week.  At the end of the fifty-minute session, there is a period of Shavasana or corpse pose.  This position you lay on your back with your palms facing up and eyes closed.  You are allowing your body to rest from the movements, and you’re focusing on your breathing.  It was during Shavasana that I realized my egoic mind was silent; in essence, I was meditating. 

Since this yoga class, I’ve been meditating daily and can silence the mind. This practice helps me to center and connect with the Divine each morning before the day begins.  It provides the foundation to create the day I desire by allowing me to be my authentic self.

Through the portals of silence, the healing sun of wisdom and peace will shine upon you.  ~ Paramahansa Yogananda

Why Silence is Important

I recognize that the mind won’t stop thinking.  Mine certainly hasn’t.  But, being mindful is the ability to surpass the innate chatter of the egoic mind.  It’s the ability to have the egoic, fearful thought without believing that it’s true. 

Like clouds moving through in the sky, our thoughts are ever-present, floating around with the wind.  Notice them, but let them go.  Don’t attach to them.  Just because you thought them, doesn’t mean that they are relevant or meaningful to your soul. 

By getting quiet, you allow your soul to center you.  This silence allows your authentic self to lead you.  The soul recognizes if the thought is pertinent and has meaning for the current situation. They are thereby keeping you from attaching to the ideas or feelings you have. 

At the soul level, there is only silence; thoughts our of the mind.  Your true identity is linked to your soul, not your egoic thoughts.  The quiet mind that observes without attachment is the silent witness to your life. 

Silence is the language of Om. We need silence to be able to reach our Self. Both internal and external silence is very important to feel the presence of that supreme Love. ~ Amit Ray

The Silent Witness

As the witness to your life, you can let go of the judgment associated with thoughts that we label as good or bad.  This non-judgment allows us to release shame and guilt as we no longer identify with them.  We watch them go by as they don’t belong to you, to your soul. 

We aren’t trying to stop the mind from thinking, only from us attaching to them and creating more from the thought.  When we connect or identify with an idea, we begin building our lives based on a single random thought. 

For example, I believed that I wasn’t lovable because my mother abandoned me.  So, I began unconsciously pushing people away.  By forcing them to no longer be friends with me, I proved to my egoic mind that I was unloveable.  This illustration from my life is how I created a reality that matched my egoic fearful mind. 

You can also attach to positive thoughts, but those too are to be released.  Observe and let it go.  Allow the soul to determine how to move forward, 

As you are present and centered, your egoic mind naturally becomes silent.  When you get quiet and allow the soul to watch the thoughts go by without clinging to them, you become the silent witness. 

Become aware of the silent witness that is observing the unfolding of all the external events of your life. This eternal presence is your true Self. ~ Deepak Chopra

Observing Your Thoughts

To witness your thoughts, you need to be fully present in this moment.  You need to recognize that you have a particular idea in your mind.  You’re not trying to repress it, just witnessing that it is there.  By acknowledging it, you are disintegrating its power.  Then allow your mind to drift on to the next thought. 

Be still and take no action.  Be with the idea and let it go.  This one was tough for me as I am an action-oriented person. But, I needed to just be with the thought so I could move on.  Being a witness is sitting still. 

Be silent; let it wash over you.  Feel the sense of peace and calm.  This silence allows your soul to rise and point you to the ideas it wants to lead you to fulfill your dreams.  Deep breathing may help you get the calmness to envelop you. 

By observing your thoughts, you are then able to release them and move forward without guilt or shame as there is no judgment for them. 

To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe. ~ Marilyn Vos Savant

I am Not My Thoughts

Who you really are, is beyond your mind; it’s your soul.  The soul, connected to Spirit, is who we are, our authentic selves.  It’s not about believing, it’s about being.  We are the gap between the thoughts.  

By witnessing the thoughts, we become more aware of our true selves.  So as each idea comes and goes, we repeatedly discover who we are.  Over and over again, our authentic selves get reconfirmed.

Over time we come to realize that our thoughts are separate from who we are.  You begin to own the experiences you have more than the ideas and feelings you have. As a witness to your thoughts and releasing them, you allow the encounters you have to develop your reality.  

Hidden in this awakening is the ability to see that our personality is the perfect expression of our unique, authentic selves.  The beauty of who we really are is recognized and has always been there, under the egoic mind. 

To realize that you are not your thoughts is when you begin to awaken spiritually. ~ Eckhart Tolle

Outside Influences Disturb the Silence

Clutter in our homes allows for the order of our surroundings to be disturbed, thereby showing us how cluttered our thoughts are too.  Our external state is always a reflection of our internal state. 

The media is a negative influence and will disrupt the oneness you are seeking.  Whether its television or social media, it only feeds the egoic fears of the mind.  The same is valid for gossip, which is also harmful. 

These damaging influences cause the mind to begin a dialog, an internal conversation.  The ego is crafty and lies to us so that we participate in this negative foolish process.  So we need to stay aware and maintain our detachment to the thoughts and the discussion it tries to have with us.  

It takes time to learn the tricks and lies of the ego, so be mindful of the thoughts.  Notice the tricks it plays on our minds so that we can overcome them.  Be cautious with what you allow to enter your thoughts; let it be edifying to your soul. 

The closer you are to the truth, the more silent you become inside. ~ Naval Ravikant

Daily Practice Strengthens the Silent Witness

We need to be mindful every day because the more you do it, the deeper it gets, and the stronger the silent witness becomes.  By witnessing the thoughts daily, your attention stays in the present moment, which is where all life occurs. 

By witnessing the thoughts, you may feel that your mind is full verses being mindful.  These ideas and feelings were always there; you’re now aware of them.  So, keep watching and let them go.  As you practice this daily, the thoughts will lessen. 

What you will begin to notice is the silence between the thoughts, a gap.  This silence will increase as you practice.  You will start to feel the silence within you.  As this grows, so does the peace and the oneness you feel.

After I had been meditating regularly, I went on vacation.  I intended to meditate daily but didn’t for a few days.  My husband said something innocuous, but I allowed my egoic mind to start a negative dialog in my head, which inevitably caused a disagreement. 

Everything is related.  One thought leads to another, and when we are unaware, the ego takes control.  We all falter, but we need to be sure that the ego doesn’t make us feel guilty for not maintaining our daily practice or our unattachment.  When we stumble, we let it go.  Be patient with yourself, and start over.

Silence is a source of great strength. ~ Lao Tzu

Moving Forward

In the silence, we discover our ultimate power is our ability to overcome the egoic mind, which hinders us in so many ways.  Through getting quiet and being the silent witness, detached from the thoughts, we allow the soul to arise and lead us.  To authentically connect with others, see the everyday miracles all around us, and to connect to Spirit. 

Silence is lovely, a state we should seek daily.  You can reclaim your ultimate power by being the silent witness and observing the thoughts you have.  Realize that you are not your thoughts, get rid of the outside influences that negatively feed your egoic mind, and practice daily.  

Silence is the great teacher, and to learn its lessons; you must pay attention to it. There is no substitute for the creative inspiration, knowledge, and stability that come from knowing how to contact your core of inner silence.  ~ Deepak Chopra

As you become more conscious of your life and become aware of your thoughts, you can enter the power of silence.  If you would like to receive more informative and mindful articles right into your mailbox, fill this out. 

Do you need support to become silent?  Do you want a strategy to help you overcome the ego’s limiting beliefs and live authentically? If so, please, contact me, and we can put together an action plan for you to create the life you desire.

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Article Name

Truth is, In Silence, you Discover your Ultimate Power

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When we get quiet and allow silence to be a part of our daily lives, we discover our ultimate power to overcome the egoic mind and live authentically.

Author

Terri Kozlowski

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Kozmic Soul Solutions LLC

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