A Zen monk practicing silence
In a world filled with constant noise and distractions, which in turn engender a similar level of noise in the inner world, silence is a rare and precious commodity. In the stillness of silence we discover the key to unlocking the path to the higher centers.
Silence is not just a means of relaxation or stress relief, but a powerful tool that the psyche can employ.
When we sit in silence, our first act can be to connect to our body. We examine our limbs, part by part, and one by one. And as we do so, sensation appears. Sensation is perhaps the consciousness of our body. Sensation is the Moon within us, It is the growing tip of our inner Ray of Creation. It is not just sensation of the skin, but also sensation of the muscles and the flow of the blood coursing through our arms and legs – even the sensation of our bones. In the silence, we can examine all parts of our bodies. We can examine the small muscles of the face and relax them. We can examine the eyes in the sockets. We can examine the nose, and the mouth, and the tongue. We can even examine our organs, heart, lungs, liver… We can discover who we are physically. Our attention has that power.
When we sit in silence, we may be forced to confront the chaos that lies within. Our thoughts, emotions, and desires rise to the surface. If we can maintain silence, we establish the possibility of observing them without engaging them and without judgment. This is where the power of the psyche lies – not in the act of quieting the mind, but in the act of observing it. By witnessing our thoughts and emotions without attachment or aversion, we begin to see them for what they are – fleeting, ephemeral and inconsequential.
In silence we may also begin to tune in to the world around us. We can listen to the sounds of nature – the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, the gentle rustle of the wind. We feel the sensation of our breath moving in and out of our bodies, and the sensation of our feet touching the ground. We become aware of the interconnectedness of all things in the outer world, and the intricate web of relationships that connects us to it.
It is always an effort. The active force is our mind, our psyche – the resisting force is our mechanical nature physically, intellectually and emotionally. The neutralizing force under normal circumstances is the impressions we receive. But if we bring the right energy in the right way, the neutralizing force is the Work and consciousness becomes possible, if not inevitable. And then we have the right to say “I am.”.