The value of walking in silence
I had the privilege to be invited to lead a mini forest coaching workshop as part of a yoga retreat held in an amazing location nearby, Hatfield House.
After lunch, I had to make people focus on transitions (the theme of the workshop), and what could be better than going for a silent 15-minute walk around those beautiful gardens?
We are so not used to spending time in complete silence and contemplation, especially when we are in the presence of others. We feel the urge to chat or use technology - music, podcasts, phone calls...
Despite the initial resistance, everyone enjoyed spending time in silence, smelling the flowers, observing the water fountains, and capturing the tree shapes...
I then invited everyone to speed write for three minutes about any insights and share with the others if they wished to.
My own observation was that I noticed the water lilies, not a common sight in the UK. I thought about how water lilies can only grow from the muddy bottom of a body of water. They need the dirt to blossom into this beautiful, delicate flower. Just like in my current challenges, the murkiness and confusion are necessary to eventually flourish. Had I not walked in silence and taken the time to observe, I would not have had this insight.
This week, take yourself on a silent walk. Use all your senses and see whether nature has an answer to your questions.
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