TED Health Silence and stillness, the universal medicine | Pico Iyer, Elise Hu
May 12, 2026
Pico Iyer, travel writer and essayist who studies stillness and global belonging, shares why silence can be a practical medicine. He recounts personal moments of retreat and loss. He explains how silence disarms argument, awakens the senses, and can be practiced daily without retreats.
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Coastal Silence After A Family Crisis
- Pico Iyer drove four hours to a quiet coastal bench after his father's death to clear his head and decide how to support his grieving mother.
- Two hours of “living silence” among bells, waves, and bees left him certain about what to say and do next.
Silence As An Antidote To Argument
- Silence bypasses argument by offering a shared space where 'it's hard to doubt what hasn't been said.'
- Pico contrasts divisive words with moments of mutual quiet that unite people beyond ideology.
Sit Quietly For Twenty Minutes Daily
- Sit quietly without devices for 20 minutes to let anxieties fall away and notice details like light on water or birdsong.
- Pico reports this practice fills him with perspective and makes him more responsive to what truly matters.