Be Still and Listen to the Power of Silence

“Silence is the language of God. The rest is translation” – Rumi

Winter’s darkness invites us inward to hear God whispering, “Please. Come. Closer. Marvel at the gifts I’ve bestowed. Discover abundance within. Make the light come from deep within you.” 

The New Year comes in winter and both invite us to be our most radiant selves, a radiance we find deep in the center of the stillness of the mind. When we watch the snowflakes tumbling, we are practicing the art of being still. Stillness is always nearby and not hard to find. However, I find it takes a dose of concentration. And sometimes a stern reminder – I mumble to myself, “Be still now.”

Behind all creation is silence; the vital ingredient for all that is created. It is a power. Silence is the very foundation of our being, from which comes all our thoughts. However, we must understand the nature of the power of silence for it to be used beneficially, as silence takes both a positive and a negative form.

Physical silence refers to the absence of sound. People are normally fearful of this silence because it suggests absence of life or company – as when a person dies there is total silence afterwards. 

Mental silence refers to thoughts that give benefit, because it is the absence of wasteful thinking and negative thoughts. This constant positive thinking creates serenity and is like a fragrance filling the room. It is an unspoken language that crosses all barriers, not a blank state or the silence of someone sulking, but rather the deep comfort and joy experienced after being relieved of some pressure or burden. The only thing required is “decrease the negative and accentuate the positive”.

The way to know the real power of silence and true freedom is through meditation. Stop, take a minute, and listen to the silence within you today.  Practice going into the depths of silence and see how much you enjoy it. Any tiredness of the soul is removed. We feel rested and remain carefree. 

When the soul is tired it is restless and worried; we think I have to do this and that. In order to clean and energize the mind, observing one minute’s silence when waking up and before starting any task helps clear the mind, think right, and radiate the energy of success. 

From today, be disciplined and take a minute of silence when necessary to prepare your mind to be capable of creating the right response for everything that’s going to happen. 

Silence doesn’t mean no talking, no sound. Simply concentrate. Still your attention and you create silence. Silence makes space for the mind to breathe and for creativity to blossom. Use the power of silence in every situation and experience peace and happiness. It is when the turbulence of my mind ceases and I stop being at war with myself that I can begin to make peace with the world.

A New Year starts not from the change in the date and time. It begins, when you decide every moment is new, when you choose to make it so. You just need a new mindset to bring your best to everything you do.

Resource: Peace Village Bookshop at www.peacevillageretreat.org/all-books.html.

(You can contact Sister Chirya Risely, from Owego, at bkchirya@gmail.com or at chirya.risely@peacevillageretreat.org.)