I found myself caught up in my own chatter this morning. I have a tendency to work through things this way. Rather than sit with my thoughts, I push them out, and often onto an unsuspecting victim. Sometimes this is well received and ends productive. This morning that was not the case. But instead of getting angry, I decided to get moving to yoga class.


One of the things I adore most about any practice, but especially yoga, is the flow. We come back to our practice as is and are open to what lessons for that day it holds. How appropriate it was for today’s class to center around silence – something I needed so much this morning but found it challenging to embrace.

And I don’t judge myself for finding this task difficult. We’re ‘bombarded with noise every day. Whether it be the sounds we can hear in our ears, the imposing thoughts of others, or most often for me, the babble coming from within. These are the sounds that I find the most distracting.

But what if I took a moment to dive deeper – to find a different sound within? What if I moved past the chatter, the anxiousness, the doubt – to the center where my inner being lies? What would I hear then? And would I be willing to listen?

This is the challenge that can often arise in yoga, in meditation, in any practice that asks for us to embrace silence. It is a practice that asks us to open our hearts to a new kind of listening. To find the voice, the vibration, that only we can hear. I cannot tell you what yours will sound like. I can only speak to my own. But I can ask you – are you prepared to listen?

I fear I will never be an expert at the art of listening. But I am grateful for the reminder to practice. Perhaps, the next time my morning starts off like it did today, my ability to navigate through the noise will be a bit stronger. And I’ll be able to embrace the silence. And I’ll be available to listen.