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I did 3 months hard core full time Yoga in an ashram some years ago. As part of the program; I didn't speak, read or write for a month. Or cut nails or hair, bu
by codr7 8y ago
I did 3 months hard core full time Yoga in an ashram some years ago. As part of the program; I didn't speak, read or write for a month. Or cut nails or hair, but that's another story :) As an added bonus; the entire group followed the same program, which meant that I didn't have to listen to them either.
The main take home for me was that most of the things that I feel are really important to say in my daily life aren't. Once it was over, being expected to speak felt like a burden.
- keyle 8y agoWow. Thinking about this, I think I could take on the "not speaking part" fairly easily. Although I'd still exclaim stuff out loud about my own performance at whatever I'm doing (e.g. foot tripping, "nice work dhead!"). Giving up writing is also possible given I'd have no devices around or paper. But giving up reading would be the toughest. Trapped in my own mind for a month, I'd need LONG forest walks. I'd basically have to walk all the time. Were you allowed humming?
- codr7 8y agoI know, I've unfortunately been slipping back into that nasty habit. But I realize that it's a show my ego puts on for other egos; because that's just part of what egos do, mock any sign of being human. Fortunately, the ashram is located in the middle of nowhere with plenty of wild nature to explore. We were encouraged to not make any sounds at all, or gestures/miming; beyond what was absolutely critical.
- throwaway082729 8y agoWhere was this ashram?
- codr7 8y agoSouthern Sweden, surprisingly enough :) https://www.yogameditation.com/retreats/the-3-month-sadhana-retreat/ https://www.yogameditation.com/retreats/the-3-month-sadhana-...
- beagle3 8y agoI’ve once met a German saying that I wholeheartedly adopted, “blessed be those who have nothing to say, and nevertheless remain silent”. (Don’t remember the German original - I don’t speak German) There’s also a more philosophical take from Wittgenstein IIRc.
- bhritchie 8y ago"Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muß man schweigen." (That's the Wittgenstein, not the German saying.)
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- tomjakubowski 8y agoDas ist die ganze Eleganz dem Wittgenstein, wer bin ich kein.
- kasbah 8y agoI searched and found "Gesegnet seien jene, die nichts zu sagen haben und den Mund halten!" which is the desired quotation but it's attributed to Oscar Wilde [1] so probably originally English since Oscar Wilde is also quoted to have said "Life is too short to learn German" (though he did learn German according to Wikipedia). [1] https://www.gutzitiert.de/zitat_autor_oscar_wilde_1481.html https://www.gutzitiert.de/zitat_autor_oscar_wilde_1481.html
- beagle3 8y agoGoogling this version (with a couple of words I remembered), brought me to a page with the version I heard before but it does not seem to be sourced: Selig sind die, die nichts zu sagen haben und trotzdem schweigen (And google also found something I assume is a singular version: "zu sagen hat und trotzdem schwiegt") [0] http://events-stg.clasadvising.arizona.edu/nichts-zu-sagen-zitat.html http://events-stg.clasadvising.arizona.edu/nichts-zu-sagen-z... , last paragraph at the time I looked.
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- shrimp_emoji 8y agoAnd yet you must still post. What hope is there for me, then?
- codr7 8y agoTrust me, I would rather not stick my head out in the shark pool at all. But we're all in this together, and it's like watching a train crash in slow motion. Doing my best for all is the only thing that makes sense to me.