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Rita Winters is an award-winning writer and former Executive
Creative Director at J. Walter Thompson, one of the world's
leading advertising agencies. She lives with her husband and
three children in Chicago. Visit Rita Winters online at ritawinters.com
When the world is too much for us, it’s time to find
a space for silence. If we’re lucky we can go to a special
place that’s far from our everyday lives. That’s
what I did when I retreated to the Sonoran Desert near Tucson.
The experience was so profound that I wrote a book about it—The
Green Desert: A Silent Retreat (Crossroads, NY, 2004).
Silence at Home. Your quiet zone can be an office,
bedroom or garden corner. Remove all phones and photos. Create
a focal point, such as a window, painting, religious icon
or even a candle. Choose a straight-back chair or a pillow
on the floor.
Decide on a silence schedule. It may be only 10 minutes a
day, but if done consistently it can have a remarkable effect.
At first, silence may be uncomfortable. Avoid playing music
and listen to the natural sounds around you.
Silence on the Go. You needn’t sit still to be
silent. The rhythm of walking promotesmeditation. Walk at
a steady pace.
Some find yoga meets this need. I practice mallo-ho (Japanese
yoga), which emphasizes gratitude.
Silence in Community. Many enjoy Taize, (meditational
singing). This practice started in the monasteries of France
and has spread worldwide.
After the initial repetitive singing, there is a silence
that lasts at least 20 minutes.
Silence on the Internet. Visit "Sacred Space"
at jesuit.ie/prayer;
the silent meditations change daily for inspiration.
Plan the silence you need to refresh your innermost self.
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