Group Silence, Authentic Voice & Grief

I was in a facilitated groupwork using voice modality this morning. For the first time, I noticed our holding and waiting together in Silence, waiting for someone's naturally beautiful birthing of word, sound or shape through voice; with eyes open and looking at each person in their Zoom rectangles. At most meditation or contemplation groups, all would retreat into themselves in individual and shared Silence, but here, we held the Silence together, not needing for things to be different, in simple beingness. I felt I can be myself, as I am, as is. Even with strangers. What an antidote to needing to fill in the spaces with some activity or efficiency! Yes, experiencing and 'hearing' others through Silence is profoundly powerful. Silence seems to be the perpetual background that one can retreat to, the basic Sa ever ringing beneath all notes. I was in tears when the next beautiful authentic voice filled the space. Cheers to contemplative voice groupwork!

free photo from Unsplash.

In a separate encounter involving my voice triad practice group, I discerned an authentic note as I bore witness to a singing partner. It's hard to explain but somehow, it was so clear that she hit one particular note and word in her singing phrase, that seemed to have come from a deeper place in her. It has more expansiveness and freedom. It says, "this is me." Fascinating, this modality of voice and sound.

And when I held someone in the holding space (in Zoom again, of course) and guided her to allow whatever within her to express itself through voice, she became literally 'unstoppable.' Twice, I tried to intercept her exploration to check how she was, but technology failed. She couldn't hear me nor knew I was trying to communicate, until after she exhausted her energies and opened her eyes. She found calmness and felt good. We gathered it was grief giving itself sovereign expression.

So, I learn not to underestimate the power of the simple portable modality of voice, which can be used readily anywhere. Great for releasing silent screams and primal noises.