How Silence Heals
February 6, 2019
So many of us live as if silence and stillness are to be avoided. Our devices pack every little pocket of time with music, videos, social media and many other seemingly small tasks, that stop us from giving our minds a break. Perpetually.
As we become increasingly attached to our devices, we crave for something to watch, to listen to, to distract ourselves whenever a glimpse of boredom comes by.
For some, boredom may seem to no longer exist.
These non-stop demands of modern life put a burden on the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is involved in problem-solving and decision making. This leaves our attentional resources depleted and as they do, we become distracted, mentally fatigued and we feel less creative overall.
Even 60 minutes within the float pod allows our brain to restore its finite resources because of the lower levels of sensory input in the environment. In silence, our brain can finally let its sensory guard down and replenish its resources back to where they belong.
Also research by Imke Kirste, a Duke University regenerative biologist, discovered that two hours of silence per day prompted cell development in the hippocampus, the brain region related to the formation of memory.
The silence that we need is not only important for our overall health, but it is also a path towards the excellence we strive for, the knack for innovative thinking that we want to put forward with our work.
While at times we deceive ourselves thinking that this routine of working non-stop will yield the best results, we forget to take in the wisdom of others before us scientists, inventors and spiritual leaders alike who found their answers and eureka moments within the contemplation of sheer silence.
“Silence is a source of great strength” – Lao Tzu
“Everything that’s created comes out of silence. Your thoughts emerge from the nothingness of silence. Your words come out of this void. Your very essence emerged from emptiness. All creativity requires some stillness” – Wayne Dyer
“I think 99 times and find nothing. I stop thinking, swim in silence and the truth comes to me” – Albert Einstein
“True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit. What sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment.” – William Penn
Silence seems like an act of rebellion now more than ever, as we have instant access to lifetime’s worth of content at the palm of our hands. It is also one of the most difficult things to achieve, as our phones are constantly pinging us with notifications and the noise pollution around us keeps increasing. Hence, the float pod is so important because it’s the perfect vehicle for silence!
The clarity that one emerges with after a float is a core part of the experience.
Many leaders have known this all along: silence heals. Now science is starting to catch up. The simple yet powerful experience of silence may be just what you need most right now.
“The antidote for the modern world.” – David H.’s review of Float Station
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