retreat | CW Hawes

The 8-Fold Path

Noise is all around us. It is part of our daily lives. Silence is a rare commodity. Something not true up to 100 or 125 years ago.

And with all that noise pollution our bodies suffer: hearing loss, tinnitus, and sleep problems to name but three.

A few years ago I went on two silence and solitude retreats. I’m lucky to have a retreat center about an hour’s drive away. Both times I spent a week at the center. The retreat was unguided. Just me, my hermitage, and a beautiful lake, prairie, and woods.

Unfortunately, even there in that pristine environment urban noise could be heard in the muffled distance. But inside the soundproofed hermitage, there was no noise. There was silence and a beautiful view out the picture window of nature in all her glory.

For a time I owned a hobby farm in very rural northeastern Iowa. Beautiful country. Hilly, wooded, and dotted with small farms. Spring and autumn did bring with them the sounds of tractors at work. Summer, the sound of insects and cattle lowing. However, it was in winter that silence reigned. For many minutes at a time one might hear absolutely nothing. Nothing. And then a pick up truck might drive by on the road some distance away. When it was gone, the silence returned.

In those moments of absolute silence in the winter on my hobby farm or sitting inside my hermitage, looking at the trees and the lake, a peace would descend upon me and fill my soul.

I’m not one for organized religion. To tell the truth, I’m not into religion at all (although I do have an affinity for mysticism). However, in those moments of silence, it was as though I’d been transported to something beyond myself. The experience was indeed mystical. “Be still and know that I am God.” The psalmist was definitely on to something. Or Elijah, in the cave, where he heard God — not in the noise — but in the still, small voice.

Silence is golden. In the cacophony surrounding us that truth is easy to forget. In stillness, free from sound, I am free to know myself. In solitude, away from others, I must come to grips with who I am. Then and there I come to the realization if I’m truly someone whose company is desirable. For if I’m not likable to myself, how can I like others? If I do not love myself, how can I truly love others?

Not all of us, though, can take the time off to go on an extended retreat. Although I do recommend you give it a try. The experience can be life-changing. But for those who can’t afford a retreat, there is an alternative.

Over the next several weeks I want to share with you a way I found to capture the beauty of silence and to live in that silence every day. And you don’t have to become a hermit or retire to a cloister to do it. The method will work for everyone everywhere. It is independent of faith or philosophy, although either can enrich the method.

I call it The Eight Fold Path For Living Daily In The Silence.

I hope you’ll walk with me on this path and in so doing reap the benefits of silence, and its companion solitude.

Comments are always welcome. If you’ve experience the joy of silence and solitude, please share your experience. Until next time, peace!

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In Praise of Ear Plugs

Many of us love or wish for solitude. Usually we think we have to go somewhere to get it. I’ve gone on week long silence and solitude retreats in order to get the solitude I often crave. A week of peace and quiet and time alone.

Unfortunately, many of us can’t afford to take a week off and a weekend often doesn’t cut it. It just isn’t long enough for us to completely decompress from our work a day worlds. We are just starting to relax and — bam! — we have to go back to the grind.

When I was working for the man, I noticed it took me two or three days when on vacation or a retreat to shake off the anxiety and cares of work. At the end of those two or three days, if I was only gone for a weekend, I’d have to head back and couldn’t enjoy the quiet and solitude. It’s like smelling the steak and getting ready to take a bite, only to have the plate whisked away.

One day, many years ago now, I was looking for information on the internet and ran across a blog article extolling the virtues of ear plugs. Like me, the blogger was sensitive to noise. Living in the city, he was constantly inundated with sound.

Where I live in suburbia, I am next to a very busy county road. In the summer, with the windows open, the traffic noise is deafening. Add planes from the county airport a few miles away and there are times I cannot hear the TV or the music I’m playing. Add to the mix my tinnitus and I’m never without noise. I very much empathized with that blogger.

His solution was to start using ear plugs. I said to myself, “Why not?” A casual reading of reviews led me to the “Hearos” brand. In short, they are a magic wand.

Before I retired, I had the supreme luxury of working from home most of the time. On occasion, though, I had to go in to the office. What I realized was the office is a very noisy place. There was constant talking and often it was very loud. Out came the ear plugs and I had instant silence. Save for my tinnitus, of course. Instantly, I was filled with a sense of peace. The experience was truly amazing, awesome, and mind blowing.

In addition to not hearing the sounds around me, I felt I was alone in my cube and no one else was around. I got both silence and a feeling of solitude from those little ear plugs, which was very good for my mood. I felt more positive, less irritated, and could focus more on my work.

I am a big fan now of ear plugs. An instant silence and solitude retreat. If you live with others, and they are around when you need a break, simply tell them you are taking a half-hour break (or even fifteen minutes). Pop in the ear plugs and close the door on the room. Put a sticky note on the door to remind the forgetful. “Do Not Disturb”. You can always add “Am Praying” or “Am Meditating” or “Listening to the Sounds of Silence”.

Silence and solitude make our lives better. Earplugs and a closed door can make an everyday difference in your life. Try it! You’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Do you use ear plugs? Tell us your story!

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What’s Happening in 2015?

I’m not a prophet or a mystic. I don’t do Tarot or have a crystal ball. I can make guesses, both educated and un-educated, but am of the opinion they are generally a waste of time.

So what is on the docket for my little corner of the world? (I’ll leave the rest of the world to the news pundits and those who do have crystal balls).

In January, I’ll be retiring from the day job. Joining the pensioner ranks. And I am going to love it! T minus 17 work days and counting!

In 2015, I’m looking forward to taking a couple of trips. Destination? TBD. I’ve never taken a train trip and would love to try the Amtrak. If any of you have been on Amtrak, please write of your experience. I’ve read it can be quite the adventure.

If I can afford the time and money, I’d like to take a couple weeks off and go on a self-guided silence and solitude retreat. If you’ve never been on one, I heartily recommend it. From my experience, it is the best thing you can do for yourself. The time at the retreat allows one to rest. I mean really rest. Like sleep and just move through the day without that invisible whip cracking over your head. The time with yourself is invaluable in allowing you to get to know who you are. You don’t need to be religious either. Just be breathing and have a desire to get in touch with your innermost core. Or just a desire for some peace and quiet and rest.

I want to set up a regular walking schedule so I can keep my joints limber. Might dust off the bike too. Lots of bike trails in the Twin Cities.

On the writing front, I anticipate:

Publishing numbers 3 and 4 of The Rocheport Saga. Maybe number 5 as well. The saga is written. Over 2200 manuscript pages. Just needs typing, editing, and the occasional rewrite to package it into readable installments.
Publishing a second Lady Dru novel. Thus far, I have 75 manuscript pages written.
Publishing a third Justinia Wright, PI novel. 120 manuscript pages written at this point.
Finish a new post-apocalyptic, dystopian series I started this month. The initial 22,000 word novella is typed. I envision a total of 7 books in the series. Some full novel length, some novella length.
Looking through the files to see if I have something I might want to dust off and run with for 2016. Truth be told, I have dozens of fragments and dozens more of story ideas I’ve collected over some 30-40 years of being a wannabe writer. I say it again, the Kindle and the iPad are the best things for writers since the invention of ink.

I anticipate a busy, productive, exciting, tranquil, and hopefully prosperous new year. I wish the same for you!

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