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The Quiet Parts Know

Like a rest in a piece of music, an interval of silence can be as powerful as speech. Our world is so full of noise. Our brains are constantly running full steam ahead, and we are bombarded by information from all of our devices. It can feel like being sprayed with a firehose at times. Add a long to-do list, and it can feel like there is never a time to get a mental break. But during a mental break, your Quiet Parts can bubble to the surface of your consciousness.

What are the Quiet Parts?

The Quiet Parts are the knowings we have, our intuition, our deepest, inner-most thoughts, that we suppress while withstanding the firehose. The Quiet Parts are often what we don’t say to others, and sometimes don’t even say to ourselves. But when they appear, they can ring loudly and resonate deeply.

How to Sit in Stillness

Meditation is one way to allow the Quiet Parts to surface. It is easy to think that meditation is monks sitting in silence, practicing for hours on end with the goal of pure enlightenment. However, meditation is really a re-training of the mind to pay attention but to also let go. It is possible, in a quiet moment, to just watch thoughts as they pass through your mind, without judgment. By sitting still, focusing on your breathing, you can notice those thoughts and let them go. Blood pressure lowers, nervous system unwinds, and with practice, you can begin to crave the silence. Research shows that even three minutes a day can have this beneficial effect.

Like the liminal space of a tidal beach, your thoughts are full of life. You may not see them without the reveal of silence and patience.

Try this:

• Set yourself up in a quiet corner with a comfortable seat
• Close your eyes and focus on your breath
• Inhale deeply through your nose with a belly-breath and count to four
• Exhale through your mouth while also counting to four
• Repeat
• Start with three minutes of breath-focus to quiet your mind and work up to how ever many minutes you like

Helpful apps: Insight Timer, Calm, Headspace, Ten Percent Happier, Buddhify, Breathwrk

Or try this:

• Walk outside for at least 30 minutes
• Dance for three minutes to a favorite song
• Laugh wholeheartedly at a YouTube comedian or friendly joke
• Hug a friend or loved one for a full 20 seconds
• Lie on the floor with your legs up the wall

September is a transitional month when we go from hot summer to cooler temps. Leaves change, school starts, and final projects of the year emerge with tight deadlines. My calendar is no different. This fall, I am offering a five-week survivorship program with either an in-person (Bellingham, WA) or virtual option.

For the entire month of October, we will be talking about the issues you may not have had the space to talk about during your active treatment for breast cancer. Bubbling up of the Quiet Parts welcomed. You can sign up HERE (Earlybird discount through Sept. 1!).

Yours in Health,
Dr. Laura James, ND, FABNO