Upon waking each morning I seek inner silence. This morning I realized that during these past weeks I have been whelmed over with internal noise-distraction; experiencing inner silence has been more than a challenge for me.
As I reflect this morning I am reminded of the discomfort our culture has with silence. I recall the discomfort of people who are in meetings together; the discomfort that surfaces when silence appears and is quickly ushered off of the stage. It seems that in public gatherings (two or more people) that silence will be tolerated for about 15 seconds, then discomfort sets in and words quickly follow or people run to their phones or ipads and fingers will swipe screens or tap, tap, tap away.
It appears as if we have an unwritten rule in our culture – whenever there is a few seconds of silence then someone must speak or swipe or key-tap; the vacuum must be filled with words – or is it ‘noise’. We are, it seems, a culture of speakers, swipers and tappers not reflective-listeners; we are a culture of noise makers not silence holders.
Silence provides us gifts: a slower pace so we can reflect, breathing room so we can relax, time to think and then respond rather than shoot from the lip. Silence can help us alter our perceptions – perhaps to see more clearly what is truly emerging or transpiring. Silence helps us pause before we hit the ‘send button.’ Silence provides us the opportunity for clarity amidst inner chaos and outer demands.
I pause in silence.
I am now thinking of the example of Jesus – an example that can be helpful to each of us no matter our belief system. Jesus had just finished talking about compassion and forgiveness. A noisy crowd approaches and throws a woman at his feet. A member of the crowd reminded Jesus what he had just spoken about and also reminded him of the law. The law said the woman must be stoned for her sin. Jesus did not expound upon the law and compassion. He silently wrote in the dirt and then offered the key response: ‘Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.’ Brilliant! A response that could only come from reflective-silence. It appears as if Jesus took time in silence to become ‘centered,’ and to reflect and only then to respond. This is a gift to all of us who are buffeted about by external demands.
Each of us can, even if for a brief time, enter into silence, reflect and then respond. We can also practice breathing slowly and deeply during this process for this helps us slow down – our heart rate slows and our blood pressure lowers and more blood is sent to our brain so we can think more clearly.
Sometimes when I am driving I drive in silence. I breathe slowly and deeply. I notice what emerges and I don’t dwell on what emerges. I simply practice. Frequently I become aware of the external noise and internal noise that surrounds me and that resides within. The discipline and the practice are important to me, not the achieving of silence (another paradox for me).
Silence allows me to slow down and to become more aware and to provide me space and time for reflection; it also provides me the environment to hear the soft whispers of the spirit that guides me – my inner teacher if you will. Silence also helps me be grounded and centered; it helps me keep my heart open so that I may offer care, love and compassion; it helps me discern how I might serve both my and the other’s highest priority needs.
I pause in silence.
Two quotations enter my thoughts: I will close with these: When I speak, how will that improve on the silence? – AND – These things will destroy the human race: politics without principle, progress without compassion, wealth without work, learning without silence, religion without fearlessness and worship without awareness.
Searcher-Seeker 