If You're Stuck and Selfish Try Solitude and Silence

a talk with Ruth Haley Barton

Celeste Scott — March 01, 2017

You're like a jar of river water all shaken up, and what you need is to sit still long enough so the sediment can settle and the water can become clear.

If you’re like me, when you see the words “silence and solitude” your immediate reaction is, “Nope. Not about it.” I get it. There’s almost nothing appealing about sitting alone, just you and your thoughts. However, there’s no denying that the intentional practice of silence and solitude can be extremely beneficial for the restless spirit. For busy college girls, working ladies, and mothers alike, silence and solitude is a great way to settle all of the sediment floating around in the river water of our brains. In this Ruth Haley Barton talks about her personal experience with the practice. She describes the restless mind as "a jar of river water all shaken up", and explains that silence and solitude is a way of sitting still long enough so that the "sediment can settle and the water can become clear." Check it out the full clip for a quick bit of wisdom.

Best,

Banner Photo: Alex Bell

Celeste Scott

Celeste (51��,‘18) is a junior CMA major, who enjoys writing and listening to Drake. She can often be found in Common Grounds discussing memes and social justice with friends over a soy matcha latte.

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