Notes from James
WEEKLY LETTER
ISSUE #22 · Sept 13
Hey {{first_name}}
The stillness of silence is deafening to the mind.
The mind hates silence, it will do anything to avoid silence.
Including but not limited to picking up your phone in any second of free time, listening to music, reading a book, watching TV, overthinking about events way in the past, or over planning way into the future.
The little voice in your head is not built for silence. Then it is no longer the star of the show.
Your mind is the last resort to avoiding pure silence.
Paradoxically silence can come in the loudest moments.
Like as you score the game winning goal and the crowd goes wild or when your motorcycle shifts into 5th gear and engine roars.
Here’s what makes these moments special, the mind is so focused, that the little voice doesn’t have a chance to speak.
This feeling has been chased by millions without any words to describe what they are chasing.
It explains why people willingly participate in extreme sports, jump out of perfectly working airplanes, lift heavy at the gym, and drink more alcohol than their body can handle.
It is the most reliable way we have found to turn off the little voice in our head long enough to experience true silence for seconds at a time.
The next time you dare to do something dangerous to silence your mind, I want you to remember that less stimulation, some nature, and a meditation can bring you the same result.
Extremism is not the only way to find silence, it’s just the most reliable way that you know now.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“People are strange: They are constantly angered by trivial things, but on a major matter like totally wasting their lives, they hardly seem to notice”
Last Week’s Learning
All learning videos can be found on my Instagram
Day 381 The Maharishi Effect
Day 382 Where does the $ sign come from?
Day 384 The plate size effect (diet hack)
Day 385 A neon orange shark in Costa Rica
From James
This past week I continued my travels beyond San Francisco and conclude my road trip today.
Tomorrow I fly from Seattle back to my brother’s place for a week.
Writing these little weekly reflections has my laughing at myself.
When I am on the road I say that I am ready to be in one place for a while, and when I am in one place for a while I say that I am ready for more adventure.
When will I find the contentment to just be happy where I am all the time?
A question for anther day.
I did really enjoy these past 2 weeks on the road, and it is really draining.
I guess a balance of road trips and settling into 1 place is what I like for now.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
See you next week!
- James