By Sejal Shah
The global silent retreat is a profound spiritual immersion. Explore the science of silence and mass meditation. Give yourself a much-needed break!
Meditation, simply put, is mental hygiene— a practice of clearing out the daily mental garbage to boost your physical as well as mental health. Numerous studies are proving the benefits of meditation for improving the quality of life.
But are there any specific benefits of long-duration silence?
Can groups of people meditating together have any additional benefits than the people meditating all by themselves?
Can groups of people meditating together influence the universal consciousness?
Let us explore.
Last year, amidst the challenging and turbulent times of the Covid-19 pandemic, I had a wonderful opportunity to participate in the first-ever online global silent retreat wherein about 50,000 people from across the globe soaked into the magical power of silence and meditation. Due to the overwhelming success, this July 21-25, the online global silent retreat is being offered once again as the world still continues to battle the pandemic. Though the intensity of the pandemic has changed, a lot of healing is still required as so many individuals and families are so deeply grief-stricken.
Why take a few days out of your busy life for a Silent Retreat?
A renewal of the mind, body, and spirit: I have regularly attended silent retreats since the time I started meditating over two decades ago. The practice of silence — of consciously withdrawing our senses and attention from outer distractions — has been used in different traditions throughout time as a pathway to physical, mental, and spiritual renewal. Through special meditation techniques specifically designed to take us beyond our usually active minds, we experience an extraordinary sense of peace and renewed vitality. This can also help strengthen our commitment to the spiritual path and will bring extraordinary depth to our journey towards the Self, or the divine or universal consciousness.
Create shifts in your life: Many people report remarkable shifts during the retreat—renewed perspective, fresh insight, a clearer mind. These few days also make the rest of your year more alive, productive, and full of energy. When you emerge, you feel centered and refreshed, ready to take on life with greater focus and joy.
The Silent Retreat can help you drop limiting beliefs, regrets, and worries, bringing you more fully into the present moment and into a bigger vision for yourself. You may find a joy that is unshaken by outer circumstances.
Find freedom from the mind’s chatter: Many people may find it a challenge to know how to quiet their minds. The Silent Retreat provides optimal conditions for diving deep within and breaking free from mental chatter. Your whole day is carefully guided and crafted to give you as relaxing and transformative an experience as possible. It’s no wonder that many retreat participants refer to it as the ideal vacation for body, mind, and spirit.
Moreover, science also supports silence, here is how:
Silence develops new brain cells!
Studies have shown that the part of the brain that is associated with memory, emotion, and learning, called the hippocampus, develops new cells within just two hours of silence.
Helps overcome trauma or painful memories!
The amygdala - associated with memory formation and emotion - is activated when we hear "noise" leading to the release of stress hormones. Conversely, silence activates the release of oxytocin, GABA, and serotonin - all hormones which reduce stress.
The brain processes information differently!
When the brain is at rest, meaning it is not exposed to new stimuli via sound, it can take internal information (learned things) and integrate them more seamlessly with external information.
How does the science of mass meditation work?
1. The ripple effects of peace
Everything we do and think affects the people in our lives and their reactions, in turn, affect others. The choices we make have far-reaching consequences. Each of us carries within us the capacity to affect the world in small ways for better or worse. These are the Principles of The Ripple Effect. Interestingly, studies actually prove the existence of a ripple effect of peace in the surrounding environment when a group meditates together. I remember a conversation with my meditation teacher Bhanu Narasimhan, who travels around the globe to conduct meditation retreats and teacher training courses, about this ripple effect. She says “It is not about individuality or certain sections of society. It is all about recognizing that we are all connected and part of one universal being. We all are governed by vibrations. A happy person can make us feel happy and an unhappy person spreads unhappiness. When glaciers melt due to global warming the water levels rise around the planet. Global warming is such a glaring reminder that we cannot isolate ourselves.”
2. Synergy like tug of war
We have often witnessed how a handful of people strongly unified by a common intent can profoundly influence a larger group of people. Great global movements for peace, from those led by Martin Luther King Jr. to Mahatma Gandhi, have always begun with a coming together of people who want peace for the greater good.
Russian scientist, Dr. Konstantin Korotkov, a professor of physics at St. Petersburg State Technical University, explains how you can influence the world around you with your mind.
According to the superstring theory in physics, waves of vibration flow from everything in the universe, affecting the collective consciousness of others. Groups can enliven that field. Group meditation can be similar to a tug of war. When you are all pulling on the same side, a certain synergy of energy is created, and a common goal is achieved. It is the same when you meditate together: the collective consciousness raises, and it acts like the ‘rising tide that raises all boats.’ The peace that is created becomes palpable, which is a special, collective experience and accomplishment. Perhaps you’ve already experienced that, in a group meditation class, or yoga, or even watching a movie or play with others, or dancing. There’s something very powerful and beautiful about sharing these experiences with others, and it feels like the mood is heightened by sharing it.
3. The power of collective intention
Talking about the power of group meditation, best-selling author Dr. Deepka Chopra has written, “In every wisdom tradition, meditation hasn’t been just a way to seek inner knowledge. It has the potential to transform the world. Research on the power of group meditation has been ongoing for several decades, and the results seem to validate what the ancient sages said.” These studies have shown extremely positive social, political, and economic results correlated to synchronized group meditations.
“When thousands of people come together with the single intention of creating a more peaceful planet, it is certain to manifest”, says Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a global spiritual master and meditation expert who has led many such meditations in large groups the world over. Besides leading the online global silent retreat last year, in 2012, he led a group of 100,000 in Buenos Areas in South America, and later in 2016, 3.5 million people at the World Cultural Festival in New Delhi, India for world peace.
Past research has shown that getting 1% of the population to meditate together in a given area is shown to reduce crime by 24%, leading to a healthier society.
An experiment conducted during the Lebanon war in the 1980s showed that when 1,000 people in Jerusalem meditated on world peace, war deaths in Lebanon went down by over 75%. Not only did war deaths go down, but crime and other destructive events also went down on the days the group meditated. There are many such experiments and many huge positive social changes brought about by group meditation. Large meditation gatherings may become very popular very soon, just as meditation has become mainstream.
Be a part of the second annual global online Silent Retreat
Due to the success of the first global, silent retreat and how beneficial it was to people during these challenging times that we’ve all been facing, the Art of Living Foundation is excited to offer the second online global silent retreat making it possible for anyone to join from the comfort of their own home on a digital platform. This year, as the Covid restrictions are lifted, a limited in-person option is also available if you would like to travel to the beautiful and serene Art of Living Retreat Center. The perfect vacation for the mind, body, and spirit! The retreat provides ideal conditions for quieting the mental chatter, diving into the depths of inner silence, and experiencing profound rest, and rejuvenation. The silent retreat is an ideal way to build further on your SKY Breath Meditation course taking your practice and energy even further.
I would recommend that all peace warriors take all opportunities like this that come your way, not only will you personally benefit but you will also help manifest the common intent of the group! Moreover, it falls during the auspicious and spiritually significant times of Guru Purnima, making the impact even stronger. If you want to be part of this history in the making, find more details you can sign up and get more information here.
The non-believer may say that this is just an unreal and wishful concept, but scientists say that there is a definite power in the collective consciousness! Let us use that power and help the world experience more health, healing, harmony, and humanity. It is indeed the need of the hour.
I hope you join us and take this amazing opportunity to meditate not only for yourself but for the peace and joy of the world!
Have any questions about the silent retreat? Do join this free online intro session and get all your questions answered.
Sejal Shah, E-RYT 500 Sri Sri Yoga Teacher, YACEP, C-IAYT, Meditation Teacher, Happiness expert, NYU Post Graduate Medical School approved Yoga-CME retreat facilitator, Mind-Body Wellness Writer, Homeopath. She can be followed on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
