How Intermittent Silence Helps you Prepare for Meetings

Dr. Krishna Bhatta

Meetings are a major source of stress in our daily lives, combining general social anxieties with particular worries that what we say or do will not be correct or live up to expectations. As such, it’s no wonder that so many of us experience Zoom fatigue these days. Fatigue is an apt word for what happens when our mind becomes over-stressed and over-stimulated. Just as your body becomes physically tired from working for too long, your brain will eventually tire from over-use. If you don’t allow it to relax, it will become totally exhausted. This can lead to experiencing feelings of increased stress, anxiety, and even anger.

Some of us have found a sanctuary in our homes. For others, the distractions of children, spouses, pets, and even our neighbors can easily exacerbate the stress of work. We may compensate with music and expensive noise-canceling AirPods, but it is not the outside world that needs to be silent; rather, it is ourselves.

Meetings actually involve two of our three purposes: our general-purpose, which is often considered our profession, and our higher purpose, which is our contribution to those around us. But there is a third and deeper purpose, which is taking care of the inner self. By this, I mean rekindling the eternal flame. That flame can sputter when the mind around it is chaotic and stressed—just before an important meeting or presentation, for example.

One practice that helps to clear the mind and soothe the flame is intermittent silence. First, we should recognize that our inner self is not empty space; indeed, it is the source of everything we do and achieve in the outer world. Without a strong, peaceful, and positive inner self, our outer efforts will seem fraught at best. With a beautiful, warm light glowing from within, however, our interactions with others will feel natural and sincere.

Intermittent silence is practiced in five stages:

1. Close your mouth. Leave all words and become wordless.

2. Close your eyes. Leave the visual world behind.

3. Practice silent listening. Be aware of the sounds around you but don’t try to analyze them.

4. Watch your thoughts silently. You have entered an abstract world of limitless possibility.

5. After three months of practice, silently watch your emotions. Become non-attached from your fear, anxiety, and anger; set them aside in a small box.

Practice this cycle for at least ten minutes a day. Don’t worry about an intention, whether you are breathing correctly, or anything else for that matter. Just allow yourself to be, but also be aware of your thoughts simply. When you first begin practicing intermittent silence, your mind may become restless after the first several minutes. Although, if you make this cycle a habit, and especially if you practice in the same place and at the same time every day, your mind will calm itself, and you will find your practice waiting for you.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to wait if negative emotions begin to surface before a meeting or if you begin to feel anxious about that next Zoom call on your calendar. When you feel your mind beginning to upset your inner flame, take a moment and try to access that same place of silence. It doesn’t matter if you are in a cubicle, a private office, or an apartment with sirens blaring outside. Remember that you are accessing the silence and the peace within yourself. Do not expect the outside world around you to stop moving. Otherwise, you will find yourself very disappointed.

After you have your moment, you will then find that you are able to go to your meeting — or log onto your Zoom call — without so much stress or anxiety. Know that when you have connected to yourself, it becomes much easier for you to connect with others and them with you. Peace and Positivity travel with you wherever you go.