don kerr

7 years ago · 2 min. reading time · 0 ·

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Can you be silent? Even for just a moment?

Can you be silent? Even for just a moment?

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Received some good advice the other day from a very unlikely source - someone with whom I have had a few social media altercations. No, it's nobody on beBee so don't start thinking it's you! (Although I have received good advice here too. Oh, also had a few altercations but I'm feeling much better now!)

It revolved around this quote:

Silence is a source of great strength.
Lao Tzu

And that quote took me to another memory from one of my teachers - my wife, who on her site (www.wakeupkate.com) wrote:


Silence may just be the most valuable resource in our hyper-connected world. It is the gateway to reclaiming our dramatically shrinking attention spans, reduce our suffering and rediscover our inner wisdom.
It allows the deep mind to do the work it needs to do. It gives our soul the ability to untie its knots. To deeply listen in. To cultivate happiness independent of conditions. To make friends with the voices in our head. To welcome adversity. To be with what is. To accept all experiences both pleasant and unpleasant.
To keep looking at the world with a fresh pair of eyes.
And to discover who we really are.Kate Kerr
Which brings me to my challenges with being silent.

A few years ago, I undertook to learn the skill of mindful meditation.

Now, I've got a pretty noisy mind.

When the one-day silent retreat element of the 8-week course came upon me it filled me with - dread!

Here's a bit of what I wrote about the experience:

The road to nothingness is cratered with potholes, surrounded by flashing neon lights and sparkly roadside attractions, fast-food joints, and amusement parks; the hurdy-gurdy man is playing in the back seat while Led Zeppelin screams from the car stereo at volume 10.
Don Kerr, Riding Shotgun - A book for men and the partners they care for

Somehow though I survived and began to learn that we can all benefit from the simple quietude. 

There's a real temptation on social media to respond to every bit of stimulus that comes our way.

Read this.

Look at this.

Comment on this.

Comment on this too.

Wish this person a happy birthday.

Take this quiz.

Post this picture.

Do this survey.

Add another platform.

Publish a new posting.

Get your blog up to date.

Run these analytics.

Make sure you're seen.

Make sure you're heard.

Question why you're not being seen and/or heard.

Question why this person doesn't respond.

Question why this a-hole does respond.

Wonder how someone can be so stupid.

Wonder if you're stupid.

Oh, look - SQUIRREL!!!!!!!!!

Talk about a recipe for A.D.D.

Whew.

Getting back to the start - the advice I received and am trying hard to embrace is this - 

Let. It. Be.

You have no obligation to run yourself ragged trying to keep up with a noisy world.

You have no reason to pursue every bright object that comes down the social media pathway.

And then I heard this song by Twenty One Pilots and thought - maybe I just need someone to steal my car radio.

http://tinyurl.com/gpumlen


I ponder of something great
My lungs will fill and then deflate
They fill with fire, exhale desire
I know it's dire my time today
I have these thoughts, so often I ought
To replace that slot with what I once bought
'Cause somebody stole my car radio
And now I just sit in silence
Sometimes quiet is violent
I find it hard to hide it
My pride is no longer inside
It's on my sleeve
My skin will scream reminding me of
Who I killed inside my dream
I hate this car that I'm driving
There's no hiding for me
I'm forced to deal with what I feel
There is no distraction to mask what is real
I could pull the steering wheel
I have these thoughts, so often I ought
To replace that slot with what I once bought
'Cause somebody stole my car radio
And now I just sit in silenceTwenty One Pilots

Sshhhh.

© Copyright 2016, Don Kerr, Don Kerr Writes - All rights reserved.

don@donkerrwrites.com

https://donkerrwrites.squarespace.com

https://ridingshotgun.squarespace.com


"
#Pilots #Lao Tzu #Don Kerr #Kate Kerr #Led Zeppelin
Comments

don kerr

6 years ago #33

#48
Thanks CityVP \ud83d\udc1d Manjit

CityVP Manjit

6 years ago #32

Your wife Kate has a very nice site https://www.wakeupkate.com/ and she calls it a mindfulness meditation consultancy. I generally assumed meditation to be mindfulness, so it will be interesting to discern what the actual difference is. Moreover one of our club students is engaging in a speech in a couple of weeks about meditation, so this is a timely buzz in that regard.

Wayne Yoshida

7 years ago #31

#46
Thank you Henri Galv\u00e3o -- The big thing I really need is TIME!

don kerr

7 years ago #30

Ah. Very clever. #43

don kerr

7 years ago #29

#41
Trying out some new meds Gerald Hecht?

🐝 Fatima G. Williams

7 years ago #28

Silence is Golden. The control we need to achieve quietude is humongous. But great ideas and thoughts are born during our silence ans disconnect from all the commotion around us. Sometimes Control and silence make great partners and should go hand in hand. Btw I love Twenty one pilots.I love the song Astronaut alot. You much listen to it if you haven't. https://youtu.be/N-MgRkSh5Xk

don kerr

7 years ago #27

#26
Agreed - although hard at times.

don kerr

7 years ago #26

#27
Thanks so much.

don kerr

7 years ago #25

#28
Thank you

don kerr

7 years ago #24

#30
Indeed.

don kerr

7 years ago #23

#32
Many quiet thanks.

don kerr

7 years ago #22

#29
!

Mohammed Abdul Jawad

7 years ago #21

Oftentimes, without expressing sensibly, social media addicts have forgotten essence of silence and have become ready for chirping mindlessly. That's simply too bad!

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #20

------------------------- 😌

don kerr

7 years ago #19

#20
Wayne Yoshida Agree. We all need to kick out the jams from time to time too!

don kerr

7 years ago #18

#19
Kevin Pashuk Looks like you get a lot of benefit in your photography from embracing the silence.

don kerr

7 years ago #17

#17
Bill Stankiewicz, \ud83d\udc1d Brand Ambassador Thank you sir!

don kerr

7 years ago #16

#16
Jerry Fletcher Good observation.

Wayne Yoshida

7 years ago #15

Kevin Pashuk 's post since I missed it before. And yes, I agree silence is a great way to reduce stress and enjoy the solitude. Probably why I like sailing and skiing and bicycling. Wait. I also like auto racing and loud music and demolition. Maybe we all need **balance**

Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago #14

Silence would be a vice for me if it wasn't so good for the soul. Loved the post Don.

Bill Stankiewicz

7 years ago #13

THX @Don Kerr for another wonderful post here! Lets all be quiet for a few minutes & enjoy our moments here. Be kind, help someone & keep smiling. GREAT JOB DON, A FIVE STAR BEE AWARD FOR YOU TODAY!!!!

Jerry Fletcher

7 years ago #12

Don, Beautifully said. A client and coach of mine says, "Mindfulness is a kind of magic that allows us to grasp the soul in the silence."

don kerr

7 years ago #11

#10
It's all about context Javier \ud83d\udc1d beBee

don kerr

7 years ago #10

#9
Pascal Derrien Enjoy your time away.

don kerr

7 years ago #9

#8
Lisa \ud83d\udc1d Gallagher Thanks LIsa. My boys found that song for me and I"m loving it.

don kerr

7 years ago #8

#7
Jim Murray Who let the dogs out? Woof. Woof.

don kerr

7 years ago #7

#6
It really does work doesn't it Praveen Raj Gullepalli?

Javier Cámara-Rica 🐝🇪🇸

7 years ago #6

Silence is part of the business :-) "the rest is part of the job" We also need a buzzy moment .A buzzy is the happy feeling that you get after eating chocolate ? . It is also the essence of happiness. LOL

Pascal Derrien

7 years ago #5

that was kool I am about to take three days off.... social media included :-) I was told I dont speak much but I make a lot of noise typing away you never win Don \ud83d\udc1d Kerr :-)

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #4

Your wife's quote, excellent! There is so much well intended advice on Social Media it can make one feel as though they have ADD, I've questioned that a lot in myself lately. "Wonder if you're stupid," yep, I can admit that thought crosses my mind more than I'd like to admit. Really nice buzz Don \ud83d\udc1d Kerr, thanks for sharing and great lyrics by Twenty One Pilots, fitting end to your piece!

Jim Murray

7 years ago #3

I have nothing to say but nicely done. I cherish silence. And now, except for the dogs next dog, I have as much as I have always wanted.

don kerr

7 years ago #2

#3
Gerald Hecht Groan. Loud groan.

don kerr

7 years ago #1

Gerald Hecht Very Lao Tzuish my Louisiana Dr.

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