“A happy life must be to a great extent a quiet life, for it is only in an atmosphere of quiet that true joy dare live.” Bertrand Russell
Inspiration: Where Do You Go For Quiet Time...? Seeking quiet places and spaces...
Where do you go for quiet time? Often, when we think of seeking quiet time, we think of places to go or activities to do that will help trigger the quiet we desire. However, the desire for quietness begins within and then flows to spaces without. So, when we begin our quest for some quiet time, the prompting has already started within our being and then we seek places and spaces to support what we already feel inside.
“I lived in solitude in the country and noticed how the monotony of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.” Albert Einstein
Inspiration: Where Do You Go For Quiet Time...? solitude in the countryside
We so have many options to explore when we seek quiet time. As Einstein suggests above, in the absence of inner quietude, we can seek solitude in the country… So a hiking trip to the countryside or a time away at a cottage or an Inn will suffice.
“All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.” Blaise Pascal
Inspiration: Where Do You Go For Quiet Time...? A quiet room of her own...
Virgina Woolf spoke of the need for every writer to have a room of her own “a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” A quiet room tucked away somewhere is a great way to escape for some quiet time and as away to regroup. I remember reading an interview with Maya Angelou who escapes to a motel/local hotel and locks herself away to write for many weeks… Perhaps, that is what we all need.
“Every time I have some moment on a seashore, or in the mountains, or sometimes in a quiet forest, I think this is why the environment has to be preserved.” Bill Bradley
Inspiration: Where Do You Go For Quiet Time...? mountains...
I love this recommendation from Bill Bradley… what could be more satisfying then seeking quiet time in the mountains? And if that doesn’t soothe your nerves then a trip to a quiet forest to commune with nature and reflect on your day would help… I love that idea.
“But I try to steal other moments. Sometimes I get up very early in the morning and enjoy a quiet house and cup of tea before the craziness begins. Other times, I’ll take a quick walk on the beach. You can find peace in a few minutes.” Cindy Crawford
Inspiration: Where Do You Go For Quiet Time...? Surya Namaskar sculpture...
When my twins were little, I sometimes got up real early in the morning to sit and catch my breath, do some yoga Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation exercises) and have a cup of tea. It was the perfect quiet time before the day got noisy. A walk on the beach or time on a seashore sound perfect too.
“Arranging a bowl of flowers in the morning can give a sense of quiet in a crowded day – like writing a poem or saying a prayer.” Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Inspiration: Where Do You Go For Quiet Time...? A man in quiet prayer...
Prayer can also help center and quiet our minds; especially when anxious thoughts invade it. I like the idea of arranging flowers and writing poetry as other ways to relax and be quiet. These do work because I have tried them.
“But being quiet and meditating on sound is something completely different and will be discovered very soon by a lot of people who feel that the visual world doesn’t reach their soul anymore.” Karlheinz Stockhausen
Inspiration: Where Do You Go For Quiet Time...? Yoga poses can help quiet the inner noise...
Meditation, yoga, and contemplative sounds can be both quieting and healing ways to relax and go inside to find answers to our concerns. While it might seem odd to bring in sound, it is not so strange because there are soothing sounds that quiet and relax us…
