Listening Below the Noise: The Transformative Power of Silence [Paperback]

“Listening Below the Noiseoffers readers the possibility of finding grace and peace in the natural world and in ourselves. Elegant and honest… one of those rare books that finds its way into our hearts, and stays there.” — Ann Hood, author ofThe Knitting Circle

A meditation on silence, the art of being present, and simple spirituality from critically acclaimed novelist Anne D. LeClaire (Entering Normal, The Lavender Hour),Listening Below the Noiseoffers a practical path to achieving calm, peaceful solitude in hectic lives. Practitioners of yoga and meditation of various traditions have long known the curative powers of stillness; inListening Below the Noise, LeClaire offers her own unique, compelling version of this ancient wisdom tradition.

When Anne D. LeClaire decided to turn an ordinary Monday into a day of silence, little did she realize she had begun an inner voyage that would transform her life.

In the seventeen years since, LeClaire has practiced total silence two days each month. By detaching herself from the bustle of her hectic lifestyle and learning to listen to her deepest self, she has found a center from which to live—one that tests, strengthens, and heals her. In practicing silence, she has discovered her own secret garden—a cloistered, sacred private place where true personal growth is possible.

In this eloquent book—part memoir, part philosophical inquiry, written with clarity and warm humor—LeClaire reflects on how silence can help us expand our awareness, ignite and nurture creativity, and achieve inner peace.