The silent treatment.

Can you even hear yourself?

I recently attended my first silent retreat. Friends responded with genuine curiosity — way more than I anticipated. Seems people know about silent retreats almost like a foreign cuisine: something they’re curious to try but tend to default to more familiar fare.

If that’s you, I offer some takeaways to encourage you to seriously consider it.

• The day is way longer than I realized. Because a silent retreat is also device-free, there’s no scrolling or vegging out to distract yourself. And I’m here to report that the day is very spacious — definitely long enough to make serious progress on that novel, painting or song you’re working on.

• Silent communication is beautiful. Just a simple smile or touch on the arm as you pass someone can convey more than lots of chatter.

• Setting matters. My retreat was held at an ashram in Fort Bragg, on the California Coast, just north of Mendocino. The gardens, birdsong, redwoods, wind, and the beach itself were full of nature’s soundtrack, making me realize it was more of a wordless retreat than a silent one. And it left me speechless. I mean — come on…

• An intentional reentry matters. On the four hour drive home, I did not call anyone or listen to a podcast or book. I kept the moonroof open and the reiki music on loop, letting my brain keep integrating new thoughts that came up over the three days.

Those are my top takeaways. I’d love to hear from some of you: is a silent retreat on your bucket list? Have you done one?

Until next time, remember that creativity knows no bounds.