And why is this strip still relevant today? In a word: ordinary. The strip was about ordinary life that we all experience.

Reflect on that and think about some of the best days you have had in your life. I bet that most of those experiences are common to every other human on this earth: marriage, the birth of a child, a job promotion, the first day of school, getting moved to first string, your first nickel earned from your lemonade stand.

I’m going to celebrate the ordinariness of life today, and bask in the glow of it. Won’t you join me?

Here’s the clip of Peanuts creator, Charles M. Schulz’s widow. Watch and enjoy.

As you may have gathered from my last entry, in this time of economic hardship and uncertainty, I up and quit my job.

Now, instead of just reading about making do with less, my family and I are living it. Despite the stress and challenges, Jeff and I are determined to build a better life on one income than we had on two. We have a baby on the way and we are intent on being the ones to raise our child, which means I won’t be going back to work outside the home any time soon. So we are learning to make one income enough. And perhaps live a more joyful life in the process . . .

My not working has already removed a lot of unnecessary expenses from our life. Immediately the “latte fund”, so necessary when you need to escape from the hectic office for a shot of rocket fuel to keep you going, became moot. The cost of only one (of my many) daily trips to Starbucks keeps me in tea for weeks at home. Then there’s the lunches with the girls, and after-work drinks. The endless parade of office charity drives, birthday collections, retirement lunches. The 80 dollars a month to ride the train downtown. Hundreds and hundreds of dollars spent to stay in the latest business fashions. All those expenses – gone.

Unfortunately, the last few months at home have been spent mostly with my head in the toilet, thanks to the joys of morning sickness, but now that is passing even more economic benefits of me not working are becoming clear.

My not working means I suddenly have time to do things that lessen our families need for money even further. With one person at home, suddenly there is time for the garden, time to grow and put by food that now doesn’t need to come out of the household budget. There is job security, and then there is the security of having 12 liters of homemade stewed tomatoes in the larder. No drop in the stock market can affect the levels in my pantry!

Being frugal takes time and thoughtful planning. Neither of which are easy to come by when you’re working your brains out. Our weekly grocery bill has gone from about 150 dollars a week, down to about 60, simply because I have the time to plan and cook cheaply. In the process we are eating even better than before because we are eating simple, home cooked meals. Homemade bread, soup from scratch, potatoes a million ways.

I will have more time to tend to our chickens, who are now bringing in a tiny income in egg sales. And with luck, our garden will continue to provide not only food for our table, but dollars for our budget at the same time. I have time to knit durable, inexpensive clothing for our unborn baby, and I hope to learn how to sew. I’d love to start making homemade cheese and yogurt.

It isn’t going to be easy. We live in Vancouver, with one of the highest qualities of life in the world, and one of the highest cost of living. Our mortgage is still due every month, and the property taxes aren’t going to get smaller no matter how I scrimp and save. There is an enormous amount of pressure on Jeff as the sole provider, but I am confident that as we move forward, with practice and creativity, we will be able to build a satisfying life and maybe even learn what it truly means to have enough.

We all have a natural rhythm. Due to outside circumstances and busy schedules, we seldom allow ourselves to visit that place let alone sustain it.

What if you could access that feeling often and operate your life from that place? That would be heavenly wouldn’t it? Well, you can begin by honoring that blissful feeling and nurturing it as your authentic and natural way of being. You could also commit to operating your life from this place instead of letting outside influences shift that comfortable place.

Haven’t you ever seen someone who has a consistent way of handling whatever comes before them, not being shaken or disturbed? They are more than likely staying in their natural rhythm and know that it’s not as important to connect to the outside chaos as it is to stay in their rhythm.

It’s not easy at first. For some reason, there is a resistance to feeling great. Is it familiarity, or a trust issue? It takes practice. Eventually, it will be the way you want to live your life.

No one will hand you peace on a platter. This is something you access from within. You begin by operating from your natural rhythm. It’s the most peaceful place there is.

Happy Monday

Enthusiastically,
Fran

Feeling Stuck? Beginning 6/15/10 From Stuck to Unstoppable teleclass -  7 Gentle Steps to Thrive Any Way

Click here to Register today.

Is it time you expressed your uniqueness to the world or even to yourself? I work with amazing people, helping them tap into their full self expression.

Who would benefit from my sessions?

* Those looking for loving, gentle support

* Those coming from oppressive environments

* Creative people blocked by outside influence.

* Right brained people living in a left brain world

* Gentle, creative people looking to build a conscious and lucrative business or lifestyle.

Call me if this is you. 954 370 8001

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For more information on ‘From Stuck to Unstoppable’ workshops, contact Fran Asaro
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www.thriveanyway.com
fran@thriveanyway.com

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There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy. - Friedrich Nietzsche

You really know whom your friends are when they care enough to say, “Karen….stop the DRAMA, it’s not working for you.” I love true friends that will tell you when your face is dirty.

Over the last several years, I have noticed that people seem to be somewhat hesitant to talk candidly with me. I wish it weren’t true. Just because someone appears to be walking down a gilded path doesn’t mean they don’t need honest loving relationships.

I was recently introduced to a fantastic woman and author…Marlene Chism. She is the Founder of “Stop Your Drama.” This is GOOD stuff….and yes, I needed it!

Marlene recently wrote an article on “Five Ways to Stand Out in 2010.” Even though we’ve just stepped into the second quarter of the year, there’s never a better time than the present to decide where you want your life to go.

The only one stopping you from making a life pact with yourself is you.

All things are possible when you believe that you can decide to fully live the life you signed up for.

It’s a little tough to describe what the norm is today! Maybe you’ve decided that it’s way to difficult to stand out with the distractions of the day.

The good news is…there are some very easy ways to begin an exceptional journey by simply committing that idea to your self.

I challenge you to just give one of these five disciplines a try and make it a part of your day.  You’ll notice the difference immediately and will start to view yourself as extraordinary…others will too!

Keep your Word
If you do what you say you are going to do, you will definitely stand out.  Today we have many excuses to drop the ball including, “I didn’t see the e-mail, it went to my junk file, I just got swamped and time got away from me.”  Keeping your word requires you to quit making to many promises that you can’t fulfill.  Scheduling and setting appropriate boundaries will allow you to pad your calendar, a bit, so you aren’t put into a double-booked situation. If you can’t keep your word….admit it right away. Don’t hide.

Just Say No
Instead of complaining about all you have to do, simply say, “No” to the things you don’t really want to do.  This will require you to give up your need for approval, and to either take action or accept what is, but the payoff is you will be happier, have more energy, and have more time for what really matters.

Be present ( This is a difficult one for me)
If you can really be present with someone while they are with you or even while on the phone with them, your energy will be magnetic.  This new habit requires you to slow down, take a breath, give some eye contact, and when on the phone, no checking e-mail or texting someone else.  Listen. Watch. Believe me you will stand out if you have the discipline to do these things.

Smile
People will either think you’re a bit crazy or they’ll wonder what you’re up to.
The cool thing about smiling is…you get attention! Keeping a smile on your face will require you to notice your body language, gather patient and rid yourself of those negative thoughts that manifest into a mean grumpy face. People cooperate with a smile. Try it! They’ll smile back!
Acknowledge
It’s easy to respond to poor customer service…but do you acknowledge great service? Whether it’s the rep on the other end of the phone handling your credit card transaction, the mail carrier, a waitress, employee or boss, a friendly acknowledge changes the energy around you and is an important form of gratitude. People need others to notice the quality of their character and be acknowledged for it.  Try turning your focus to the greatness of others and watch what happens!

What have you got to lose?

It only takes one small change to get you started!

Blessings,

Karen

Well, it’s my personal challenge to moms everywhere to “Say No To the Sweats!”  I think we would all feel better as women, wives and mothers if we carved out some time each day to pull ourselves together.  A touch of eyeliner and mascara, tweezers to the out-of-control brows, a little gloss on the lips, a cute pair of jeans and a functional, but cute shoe.  Oh, imagine a world of cuteness reborn!

I would post a pic of me dashing around town in my sweats, but I’m simply too embarrassed.  Maybe it’s not sweatpants for you.  What was that “thing” that made you realize you had let yourself go even a little?

We hope you learned more about yourself so you can be more intentional in your life’s decisions. Our next workshop will begin June 1 and run through November covering a different topic each month. It’s about” taking action” and “goal setting” but won’t require quite as many questions as this one did and it is spread out over 6 months. The monthly topics will be the areas of life I mentioned in the previous session: Personal ( mind, body, spirit ); Home ; Relationships ; Finances ; Serving/Giving ; Job/ Work. We’ll look at each area and help you in setting goals in each area. Hopefully, you will begin looking at  what you’d like  these areas of your life to look like as you should have  some of this information from this session.

As promised previously, we are having a drawing for a prize for those who signed up for this session by “subscribing” to our blog. We will have that drawing next Monday. Good luck to everyone who subscribed and thank you! Check back here to see if you won!

UPCOMING BLOOMING BOOMER EVENTS

May 1st begins our …. SPRING LAUNCH

We will have a NEW LOOK, NEW PRODUCTS, A GIVE-AWAY, PICK- OF- THE -MONTH -BOOMER, AND MORE SURPRISES!  EVERYTHING WILL BE REVEALED MAY 1st!

We’d like to build a larger community of women encouraging women so tell your family and friends to “subscribe” . We’ll be putting an invitation together which you can forward later. Even though we won’t begin another workshop until June, we’ll still be posting something every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I’ll be going on vacation for two weeks but will be posting from Sunny Florida… even if it’s just to send you a beautiful ocean picture! Sherrie will also be posting when I’m gone so keep checking! If there is a special topic you’d like to hear about, let us know.

Thanks for hanging in there with us for the workshop! Have a beautiful day and LIVE INTENTIONALLY!     sandy

Today I’d like you to take a sheet of paper ( or hopefully you have that journal or notebook ) and put at the top of the paper the following ” 6 areas of your life”: 1)  Personal ( mind, body, spirit )  2) Home   3) Job/Work  4)  Giving/Serving  5) Relationships  6) Finances. This list should cover most  ( well, almost ) everything in your life.

I’d like you to take your Dream List and put each item on your list under one of these categories. Anything related to recreation, hobbies, interests, etc. goes under “Personal”. If you’re not sure what category it should go under just pick the category which seems to come the closest.

You should now have a list of your dreams under all of the areas of your life. Look at your lists.Do you have something in all the categories? Are you neglecting your relationships or do you have a dream of building better relationships? Did you have on your dream list to serve others in some way? Did you remember to take care of your OWN needs ( mind, body, spirit)? Have you thought about what you’d like your home environment to be like? You might want to add to your list if these 6 areas have triggered some ideas. It is good to have a balanced life so ideally you should have items under each area. You may be in a situation where you don’t have to work outside the home but we ALL work INSIDE the home so don’t leave the Job/Work area empty.

In keeping in mind your “whys”, how much of your dream life are you living NOW but maybe on a smaller scale than you had first thought OR what COULD you do that would fulfill your “why?”. Brainstorm different things you could do to live your dream life  NOW. Keep in mind your values and priorities, your talents and skills and USE THEM in your life’s plan. You may find that when you get  CLEAR about what you REALLY want, that it  doesn’t require MORE MONEY and that you have everything you really need to live your dream life NOW. And wouldn’t it feel GREAT to know that you’re actually  LIVING your DREAM LIFE ? So go ahead and create the “small scale” dream life, using the “whys” of your dreams, making sure you have items under ALL categories. You now will have created a balanced design for your dream life!

Our Goal Setting Workshop is another session where we’ll show you how you can set goals to reach your Dream Life and even get to the BIG DREAMS  but you can learn to be content NOW when you realize that you might already HAVE your dream life ( or can EASILY get it ) if you’re considering the “whys”. The point in bringing out the 6 areas of your life now is to make sure that you are working on a dream life that is balanced in all the different areas of your life. It would be great to have a few items in each area to work on.

I hope these simple exercises have helped to bring some clarity to your life’s choices. If you have any questions you can e-mail me (or Sherrie) and we’d love to help. ( lesacookman@charter.net   and   sporterfield@charter.net )

Keep reminding yourself that you’re closer than you thought to your Dream Life! You may, in fact, be LIVING IT!  Sandy

Among the many Lenten practices, fasting is the most significant. Fasting has been around a long time as a spiritual discipline in almost all cultures and religions. To fast is to abstain from something that gives us pleasure and enjoyment in order that it may enhance our spiritual experience; it is not dieting or ‘not eating’. It is a way to spiritual fitness.

Jesus fasted for 40 days before he began his public life. Yet, he does not make it an obligatory exercise. He does not say fasting is essential but says what kind of fasting is acceptable to God. Jesus discounts all such fasts done with a concealed intention to draw attention to one and to seek others’ acclamation: “When you fast do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance so that they may appear to others as fasting”. (Matthew 6:16). The one who fasts must avoid all sense of spiritual superiority and pride. This is why Jesus insists that the one who fasts must not “appear to be fasting” and must “oil your hair and wash your face.” These are ritualistic observances but acts of love for God and so must be done happily and with a happy face.

An important reason to fast is that it helps develop more self discipline to transcend sensual and physical gratification. We tend to overindulge rather than exercise restraint and in this context, fasting is a good way of striking a balance. Prophet Muhammad’s statement, “The worst thing man can fill is his stomach” comes as a deterrent to gluttony. The Buddhist Dhammapada goes a step further to compare a craving person to a “fat domestic pig” bound by the fetters of samsara.

Fasting takes us beyond the carnal level of existence to the realm of the divine within. A better articulation of this dimension of fasting can be found in the Sanskrit term for fasting, upavas. Upa meaning ‘near’ and ‘Vaas’ means ‘to dwell’. Thus, fasting means to live or remain closer to God. It is not a negative act of abstaining but a positive step of obtaining God’s love. Fasting is fuel for the soul that ignites faith and greater intimacy with God and thereby makes our lives happier and more joyful.

Fasting has a social significance. It cannot be a mere self-fulfilling spiritual activity. The Bible is emphatic that true fasting is not just to abstain from food, to bow one’s head like a reed and lie in sackcloth and ashes- “this rather is the fast I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, setting free the oppressed, sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless” (Isaiah 58:6-7). M K Gandhi used fasting as a spiritual weapon to bring about social and political transformation. In India it is women, especially rural women, who fast more than men. They seem to gain tremendous inner strength and power to overcome suffering, alleviate the pain of others and thereby become life-givers. True fasting will remind us of the bounty we enjoy on a daily basis, and sensitize us to the reality of forced hunger thousands of people in our planet go through day after day. – The Times of India

What if it were as simple as finding out the under lying belief system that is blocking us from knowing our own path to happiness.  It is as if someone long ago said “You can only be this happy and no more”  It is like a set point on happiness.  What if you could change that “set point” and choose how and what level of happiness you were going to have.

I am big on choice and I know that there is a simple and easy way for you to be happy in this moment.  There is a technique that helps you to discover the decision you made long ago that is getting in the way, that belief that is holding you back from living your life full of joy and happiness.  A decision made in a fraction of a second, with limited knowledge, limited information and limited comprehension.  A decision made when you were small and did not have the tools to comprehend the ramifications of your decision and how long it would be effecting your life.

The technique is called Kalos Health Facilitation.  A Kalos Helath Facilitator can take you back to the time of the decision and help you to see what happened, who was involved and what you decided in the moment to be the truth.  “The Truth Shall Set You FREE”  is an accurate statement and one that I see confirmed over and over again in my practice.  Clients are transformed and are living lives free from the limits of their past.  Free to choose a new reality and live each day knowing they are capable of real Happiness in their lives.

Isn’t it time for you to discover your true happiness?  When you are ready, I am here to help you to do just that.

www.inlightenwellness.com

Light

Lorayne Ham

Life is like a Round of Golf

Life is like a round of golf
With many a turn and twist.
But the game is much too sweet and short
To curse the shots you’ve missed.

Sometimes you’ll hit it straight and far
Sometimes the putts roll true.
But each round has it’s errant shots
And troubles to play through.

So always swing with courage
No matter what the lie.
And never let the hazards
Destroy the joy inside.

And keep a song within your heart
Give thanks that you can play.
For the round is much too short and sweet
To let it slip away.

— Criswell Freeman

(Untitled)

God, What is my fascination with this game?
Is it the outdoors — the green fairways, the blue skies, the lakes and trees,
the feel of the breeze across my face?
Is it the friends with whom I play — their companionship, their encouragement, the conversation between holes, the silence as we wait our turn?
Is it the game — the balance between grace and skill and power,
the striving for perfection, the loft of the ball, the precision of the putt?
Or is it all of these, and in these, meditations about all of life — harmony, friendship, balance, and, every once in awhile, the perfect shot and a glorious Amen.

I’ve never been what you would consider a good golfer. A “hacker” is probably the best description of my prowess around the fairway. Yet I continue to play because I find joy in everything that surrounds the game. I would never consider going out to play a solo round by myself. To me, the joy is in the ability to share your shortcomings with friends, laugh in the face of failure, and collectively revel in those fleeting moments of success that once in a while find their way onto our cart path.

I ask, what will provide greater joy over the course of time? A hole-in-one that few ever experience?  Or that day when you lost grip of your wedge and it flew like a helicopter up, up and down, down, down… into the lake… to the roar of approval and great enjoyment by all your pals who’ve been there, too? - Professor Joy

Anyway,  I found that purple dye quickly fades to a bluish-green that is rather drab.  So I decided to dye my whole head of hair burgundy.  I leave it in extra long so it ends up being like a dark cherry with a purplish hue.   Then it fades to beautiful shades of red with a burgundy tint.  It’s very cool, very fun and I love it!

Here we are 6 months later and I have been noticing many people with purple streaks in their hair and many others with a burgundy color, or red or purplish hair color.

There is something in the atmosphere.  God is speaking and people are catching it whether they know it or not.

Purple is the color for royalty and kingship.  God has been revealing His desire see His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.   It is burning in the hearts of many believers who take the time to soak in the secret place and hear His voice.   It is His desire that we usher in His Kingdom in our worship and lifestyle.  (Yes, worship is a lifestyle.)

I am learning that God has made EVERYTHING for a purpose – even the things that we barely notice.

I believe people are dying their hair purple because of activity in the atmosphere – preparing the way for the King to come and establish His Kingdom on this earth in a greater way.

If you think this sounds crazy or maybe I just have a wild imagination,  I challenge you to pay attention to things around you – take another look.  Ask Holy Spirit what it is you’re seeing.

Here’s another fun thought.  Maybe in heaven our hair will be like fiber optic strands and will change colors as we worship! Ha ha!!!  Why not?!  I would love that, wouldn’t you?

Think outside of the box!!!

Right now you are enjoying travelling. This is a possibility. You take decisions on the basis of the possibility of a peaceful, joyful, harmonious, healthy, mindful and clear life, without any kind of insecurity or fear, pain, sufferings, worries. That is the desire, the aspiration every one of us nurtures. If we are searching for those possibilities in the outer world it is not possible, because the outer world has different kinds of possibilities also. It can give every comfort you ask for, but with every comfort, there comes some discomfort too. With any outer joy, pain will also be there. With any outer happiness, unhappiness would come too. Anything that comes from the outer world comes with its opposite in tow.

Take some time off every day to be silent, even if for five or 10 minutes Feel it, experience it, and observe it. That is the moment when you are with you, when you available to yourself. When you are in silence you are living in the present, which we don’t do very often.

Silence does not mean absence of speech. Silence is an inner state. Something will automatically change in your state, in your nature, and silence will establish itself. Even if you are in a catastrophe, no one can destroy your silence; no one can take the inner quiet away from you. Once silence starts helping you, helping your evolution, then you can enjoy the beauty of life.

Silence is a state of consciousness. Silence is not an effort. If you are making an effort to be silent you are making more noise. Silence is an effortless effort. It will be born spontaneously with your understanding. Silence is the birthplace of your soul. – The Times of India

As told to Sudhamahi Regunathan. Swami Brahmdev lives in his Aurovalley ashram in Raiwala, Uttarakhand .

So, why do I think you care about my mom?  Well, if you’re the kind of person who enjoys stories with a moral with food for thought, you just may enjoy reading about how this wee bit of a peanut made a very large impression on everyone she met.

Albert Einstein said…  “The life of the individual only has meaning insofar as it aids in making the life of every living thing nobler and more beautiful.”

Thomas Edison said … “what you are will show in what you do.”

 Mother Teresa said … “Be kind and merciful.  Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier.”

And finally, Leo Buscaglia said this … “Ancient Egyptians believed that upon death they would be asked two questions ‘Did you bring joy?’  ‘Did you find joy?’”

It seems to me that they all must have known of individuals like my Mother. 

Harking to Mr. Edison’s statement, this grand lady had a way of ennobling all of us.  She encouraged our dreams; she taught us that failure was not forever; that mistakes help us grow wiser; and that she loved us unconditionally whether we were store clerks or accomplished businesspersons.  Always the peacemaker, if one of us went whining to her about a transgression from another person, she would say, “If one is foolish, the other one can’t be.”  She meant that.  She expected us to walk away from confrontation or turn the other cheek. 

As for beauty … She created it in her gardens, her home, and in her creations … she radiated a quiet beauty and dignity in her later years that elevated everyone in her presence.

Edison may not have known Mom but she truly exemplified his theory that what you are will show in what you do.  She lived for the past three years at a small Retirement Home run by wonderful Irish nuns, and the last two months at the Hospital Rehab.  She wasn’t particularly chatty during these years and said practically nothing much at all since March.  Yet, she exuded such grace, humor, kindness, gustiness, grit, and inner joy that, when she died, the people who had shared her corner of this earth felt their world a little emptier.  Quietly and elegantly, she left her mark.  It’s as if she was following the advice of St. Francis of Assisi when he said, “Preach the gospel at all times. ..when necessary use words.”
Mother Teresa nailed it about mom.  She was kind and merciful, and truly, no one could come to her without coming away better and happier.

She brought joy with her humor, her Million Dollar Smile, and her unconditional acceptance, no matter how far people deviated from the mainstream.  She had a rare attitude of gratitude (I couldn’t begin to count the number of times she said “thank you Honey” to the nurses and aides who helped her…and to ME, her own daughter, who owed HER as much!).  Those words, that attitude – validated every person who did anything for her.  As for finding joy – she did so in all of the things she created or did, but most of all in her family, her friends, all of our family pets, and the people who surrounded her. 

As I celebrate this remarkable woman’s long and amazing life in print, we would all do well to take away some of the lessons she taught:  love one another without conditions; forgive and forget old grudges; laugh lots; play now… you can sleep forever when you die; eat dessert (and lots of it); keep interested; think young; go with the flow; make peace, keep peace; make a garden retreat and go there often; don’t sweat the small stuff, and, the biggie for her … pray unceasingly.

 We reluctantly closed the book of life that Harriette Stachowski Panek wrote, sad to see her story end, yet delighted to know that Mom, Mamush, Gram, Gigi, Nahnie Boo, Grand-Mama or whatever pet name we called her … lives on in a legacy of her descendants and the lessons she has left behind. 

This particular book may be closed, but I know that the sequel will be much more exciting.  As I see it, the first chapter opened with Harriette at the Pearly Gates, excited beyond words to meet the REAL man of her dreams – her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  After that, imagine her joy in meeting Pope John Paul – her Polish Pope, Mother Teresa, and her three favorite saints, Jude, Anthony and Theresa.  Next, I see her twirling on the dance floor, blue eyes glistening, and her million-dollar smile dimpling her flawless face.  Is she dancing with my dad, Walter?  Or is that her long-time partner, Albert?  No matter, she is having a ball.  Now, how can I be sad that she has left us, knowing that she is having such a great time in heaven?  Unless I am exceedingly selfish, I cannot.  So, allow me to continue this celebration in joyfulness and gratitude for her magnificent life by sharing her with all of you.  Thank you.

“To love and to be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.”
David Viscott

Take some time off every day to be silent, even if for five or 10 minutes Feel it, experience it, and observe it. That is the moment when you are with you, when you available to yourself. When you are in silence you are living in the present, which we dont do very often.

Silence does not mean absence of speech. Silence is an inner state. Something will automatically change in your state, in your nature, and silence will establish itself. Even if you are in a catastrophe, no one can destroy your silence; no one can take the inner quiet away from you. Once silence starts helping you, helping your evolution, then you can enjoy the beauty of life.

Silence is a state of consciousness. Silence is not an effort. If you are making an effort to be silent you are making more noise. Silence is an effortless effort. It will be born spontaneously with your understanding. Silence is the birthplace of your soul. 

As told to Sudhamahi Regunathan. Swami Brahmdev lives in his Aurovalley ashram in Raiwala, Uttarakhand . – The Times of India