Other People's Experiences of and Relationships to Silence

The Contemplative Edge

How do different people experience and relate to silence? In part 1 of this group discussion on silence, we hear when the last time people took time in silence was, what their relationship to silence is and how it has shifted and changed over time.

Timestamps to key points

[01:24] - Introduction to the group guests

[02:20] - Nour's last time in silence, post morning prayers

[03:15] - Malik's last time in silence, Shavasana at the end of yoga

[04:00] - Gary’s last time in silence, morning prayers / daily practice

[05:00] - Regularly quieting the mind by taking a few moments in silence

[06:24] - Pre- and post- pandemic challenges

[06:50] - A silent moment that was golden

[07:49] - Gary's relationships with silence: spiritual food, life force that nourishes, sustains, lift ups, undergirds and excites

[09:56] - Malik’s thinking about silence has shifted from a noise level to a state of mind

[10:44] - Nour’s relationship with silence has shifted and deepened from an external relationship to an internal and spiritual one

[12:23] - What is your relationship with silence, and how has it changed over the course of your life, over the last few months, and as a result of listening to this series on silence?

Guests

• Gary Gruber lives in Southern Arizona, USA and is a long time educator, active blogger and participates in a variety of groups working on spiritual development, change in organisations and growth in people. His blog can be found here: https://garygruber.com/, and he can be found on twitter @garyrgruber.
• Malik has lived in many countries and is currently lives and works in NY, USA.
• Nour Chakroun lives in Cornwall, UK and is the founder of a women's group based in Truro, Cornwall called Inspiring Women Network (IWN). IWN can be found https://www.facebook.com/inspiringwomennetwork/