We stopped strolling to hearken to pure nothing. To hearken to the serene silence in Finland. Strolling via forests in Finland was mesmerizing from the very first second. No sounds of vehicles within the distance, no birds chirping or wind whistling via the excessive timber close to the calm lakes. Solely us, the stillness and our breaths that stopped for some time in awe. That’s the silence in Finland.
Silence right here is taken into account a frequent a part of communication, and from our brief time observing, Finns don’t communicate quick, even in their very own language. Usually, they’re higher at listening moderately than talking and interrupting throughout dialog is taken into account fairly rude.
When doing enterprise with Finnish representatives, two- or three-minute pauses of silence are frequent in enterprise conferences and it’s extremely really useful to keep away from interrupting that silence.
Finns are recognized additionally as leaders in worldwide peace initiatives and we imagine there’s the explanation for that.
Now, would it not shock you to listen to that many proverbs associated to silence are of Finnish origin? For instance, “Silence is an individual’s greatest pal, for it stays behind after the remainder has gone”, “A silent man is a clever one” and some of the frequent ones, “Silence is golden, speaking is silver”.
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There’s additionally a joke about silence in Finland that claims: “A Finnish man cherished his girlfriend a lot that he virtually instructed it to her” and I similar to how correct it’s when talking concerning the exact use of phrases and enhancing silence in Finland. It appeared to us that an individual in Finland speaks solely when she or he really has one thing to inform, and if there’s something to say, the sentences are spoken thoughtfully and with pauses of silence. Certain, not all individuals in Finland communicate with a meditative tone and a sluggish tempo, nevertheless it was moderately distinctive to note that development throughout our keep in Finland.
“Coming into the forest he strikes not the grass; getting into the water he makes not a ripple.”
Zenrin Kushû
Earlier than visiting Finland for the primary time, we had been conscious of its pure treasures, however no person ‘warned’ us about Finnish quietness and concord of the woods. It was superb to look at how our personal notion and expectation modified inside a number of moments as soon as we entered this inexperienced, Zen kingdom of silence.
Think about you’re strolling on mossy earth, not making any sound, surrounded by excessive timber that don’t transfer, nonetheless lakes that mirror the sky, with no airplanes above, no sounds of animal life round, with barely any people on a strolling path.
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We people are typically fearful of silence and we frequently keep away from it moderately than recognize it. To remain relaxed, we desire CREATING the appropriate surroundings moderately than GETTING RID OF the noise round us. We placed on enjoyable music moderately than swap off all of the electronics. We desire speaking about a difficulty moderately than considering it or letting it go.
We’ve additionally been taught that solely fixed memorization of enormous quantities of knowledge will assist us to develop our mental potential. However what if the other is the reality?
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“This silence, this second, each second, if it’s genuinely inside you, brings what you want.”
Rumi
Strolling via the forest and being embraced by the silence in Finland, we skilled not solely an intensive bodily and psychological recharge, however we additionally began to really feel that there’s way more past silence that calms you down.
It was additionally our nice information Johannes Sipponen from Outdoor Finland who identified the quietness of the Finnish woods on our climbing tour within the Häme area and talked about the Finnish Vacationer Board’s marketing campaign, “Silence, Please”, a re-branding of the nation utilizing silence in Finland as a number one function to make the nation a extra widespread vacationer vacation spot.
Coincidentally, Audrey Scott from Uncornered Market noticed our Instagram photograph and really useful that we learn an article the place they answered the questions we had been asking ourselves whereas indulging the peace within the land of thousand lakes.
Up till then, we’d been conscious that silence might convey a sense of ease and we knew that after having a relaxation in a quiet place, we had been normally extra productive and will return to a rushed work rhythm with clear minds. However after studying the article and studying extra about the phenomenon of “noise air pollution”, we realized that silence has an incredible constructive affect on the human mind’s improvement and on reminiscence, and that noise, even hidden noise from electrical gadgets or ambient avenue noise, can change the standard of your life drastically.
“In silence there’s eloquence. Cease weaving and see how the sample improves.”
Rumi
The origin of the phrase silence goes again to Gothic verb anasilan, which suggests “wind dying down” and the Latin designer, a phrase that means “cease”. From the very starting of historical past, “silence” has carried the that means of interrupting the motion, moderately than solely indicating a nonetheless situation.
That’s precisely what we felt whereas exploring the outside in Finland. We merely stopped pondering, analysing, planning forward and simply allowed ourselves to be fully current, to hearken to the silence whereas meditating early within the morning within the woods, climbing, sitting on a ship on a quiet lake and searching on the solar rising or canoeing down the clear river water. Instantly the whole lot had a objective when quietness allow us to be totally aware about our actions.
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“Silence is the common refuge, the sequel to all uninteresting discourses and all silly acts, a balm to our each chagrin, as welcome after satiety as after disappointment.”
Thoreau
Finland has roughly 5.4 million inhabitants, with a mean of 17 individuals per sq. kilometre, whereas in Arctic Lapland the typical is barely two individuals per sq. kilometre. And in case you take into account that round 75% of Finland is roofed by forests, the prospect that you’ll benefit from the Finnish woods and their Zen ambiance, nonetheless lakes and candy berries all for your self for hours is greater than excessive.
There most likely received’t be anybody making small speak with you, no person will ask you why you’re there, how lengthy you propose to remain and the place you’re headed subsequent. There will probably be nothing to disturb your interior silence and tranquility. The serene silence will speak to you in all languages and offer you solutions or ask you questions you wanted to listen to.
As a result of it’s the silence of Finland that makes you need to come again.
A giant thanks goes to VisitFinland and Outdoor Finland, who helped us to discover the Häme area in its greatest.
All opinions, impressions and experiences of silence are our personal
