Finding the Golden Mean of Sound and Silence
Finding the Golden Mean of Sound and Silence
I tend to drift between extremes in my search for the elusive golden mean. A golden mean is the balanced tension where virtue exists between two extremes of excess and lack. For instance, courage is the golden mean between cowardice and recklessness. It’s hard to imagine one could ever have too much courage, but too much of a “good thing” changes a virtue into something completely different. In a good life, we’ll find, misplace, and reclaim golden means. Persistence helps us find the balanced tension between excess and lack, but none of us are free from the pull of extremes. I’ve recently rediscovered the golden mean of sound and silence. Optimizing the rhythmic flow between sound and silence helped me reclaim a joyful enthusiasm, boost creativity, and refresh my spirit. We will address the flood of media overconsumption, the drought of self-induced silence, and reclaim the rhythmic golden mean between these powerful tools.
The Excess: Noisy Flood
It wasn’t until I began writing that I realized how much of my day is spent listening to music, audiobooks, podcasts, online classes, YouTube videos, etc. When I sat down to write in the morning, it felt like there were no blank palettes left in my brain, only a flood of art that needed to be processed. My brain didn’t have the bandwidth to develop new ideas without adding some margin, so I committed to a media fast for the first 90 minutes of each day. The silence created boredom, and my brain began to ponder, dream, and conceptualize with renewed passion and curiosity. The blank page was no longer something I dreaded in the morning, but craved. I was so pleased with the creativity this strategy unlocked that after a few months, I decided to double down. I wouldn’t consume any media, other than my Bible, until the end of my work day. My music, podcasts, audiobooks, and online classes were all banned until midafternoon. My creative production was great, but the silence created a drift I failed to recognize at the time.
The Lack: Silent Drought
Several months into my new routine, the shift was difficult to ignore. My mornings felt somber and heavy, the afternoons began to blur into the rest of my workday, and I felt restless by the evening. I blamed the season, believing it would soon pass. Sometimes we have to push through, sometimes we need to pivot. I realized it was time to pivot while listening to a conference speaker share the power of sound to set the tone for our environment, influence our emotions, and alter our mental state. The connection was instant. The goal of incorporating silence into my rise routine was to allow my spirit to connect with my Creator without distractions and my mind to creatively think without an overabundant influence. I allowed this quiet respite to devolve into a rigid self-induced silence that edged out joy, peace, and fun. I allowed a good thing to violently swing into an extreme yet again. It was time to reclaim the golden mean between sound and silence.
Rhythms of Sound and Silence
The influential power of sound is rarely acknowledged and often underestimated. It can be used to shift the atmosphere. An upbeat tune can evoke a giddy silliness, a favorite hymn allows peace to descend as we worship, and an interesting audiobook or podcast can engage or soothe an active mind. Creating pockets of quiet stillness is important in our chaotic world, but we aren’t meant to live in silence. We should address the rhythm (when) and quality (what) of sound and silence in our routines. I am still optimizing how I use these tools throughout my day, and everyone’s golden mean will be a little different, but here’s mine for this season.
Start with Joyful Thanksgiving (Sound) - I love to feel joyful in the morning, so I’ll turn on an upbeat, energetic praise playlist while I’m getting ready for my day.
Settle into Quiet Presence (Silence) - Before I start my workday, I spend quiet time with God, meditating on His Word and seeking His agenda for the day. Then, I’ll recommit to my vision and review my agenda.
Focus on Flow (Sound) - When it’s time to start my work, I’ll silence distractions and turn on an instrumental playlist that helps me find flow by signaling it’s time to work.
Recenter in Nature (Silence) - I love to stretch my legs and rest my mind outside in a green space with sunshine and fresh air to recenter during my breaks.
Time to engage and entertain (Sound) - I take at least an hour between work and dinner prep to give myself time to recharge. I permit myself to do whatever I want. It can be listening to a fun audiobook, an interesting podcast, or an educational class. It’s my no-pressure free time.
End with Reflection (Silence) - I wind down with quiet reflection and meditation. I’ll acknowledge what went well, something that needs work, and identify a few improvement strategies. Then I’ll do a short meditation or breathwork practice.
Conclusion
A few months ago, I felt spiritually stagnant, like something was missing. I allowed a good thing, some quiet time in the early morning, to spiral into a spiritual and mental nourishment draught. I became stuck in a season of fasting. The golden mean isn’t a fixed target. What serves us well in one season may be lacking or excessive in the next. It’s daunting to discern the perfect balance in any given situation. We may build a structured routine, then feel trapped in an inflexible system. We tear it down to try an intuitive approach, then find ourselves completely missing the mark. The golden mean challenges us to stay alert because it’s a dynamic, moving target. I think the golden mean we seek is always at the center of God’s heart and His perfect plan for us. As we seek Him, the golden mean becomes clearer. As we surrender our agendas each day to walk with Him, we are quicker to discern when we’re drifting from the golden mean.
Where do you feel off balance today? How can you discover and reclaim the golden mean for that area?
Faith Encouragement:
Joshua 6:10 – But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!”
Joshua 6:20 – When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.
Ecclesiastes 7:18 – In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness. Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—why destroy yourself? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool— why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.
Aristotle – “Virtue is the golden mean between two vices, the one of excess and the other of deficiency.”