INSights: The Spirituality of Silence
By Anne Marie Kinney
Most of us live in a noisy, fast paced, chaotic world whether by choice or the environment around us. We are all so busy “doing” life that at times, if we are not intentionally mindful of the sacredness of the moment and the blessings it offers, it slips right on past us, becoming one monotonous noise. It seems that everyone is plugged into something, listening to an ipod, talking on the phone, always needing a constant stimulus to feed our hungry minds. But silence is always there beneath sound and is the space where sound can exist.
There are few places left now where we can truly experience silence – where we can truly feel our own “aliveness.” Churches are a wonderful example of such sanctuaries. Sometimes on a busy day, to take time out and walk into a church, one can literally feel the silence, the stillness – it is almost tangible. To be alone with one’s thoughts and prayers, can be a wonderful break. By taking the time to experience silence, one will notice that the mind calms. Lighting a candle for a loved one, watching the flickering flame, the smell of the candle wax – all observed with a quiet mind can bring you to that internal place where sometimes answers come – and because of the silence – you can hear them.
Another silent sanctuary is a library where, upon entering, there is a hushed reverence observed. This dates back to the time when libraries were indeed attached to the church and regarded as high places of learning. Although today libraries have entered the 21st century with Internet facilities, movies and music, it is still another place to quiet the mind – and one of the few places where children are taught to observe silence.
When we sit outside and study nature, we notice that everything alternates between activity and inactivity, stillness and motion according to the movements of life. Being in a garden or open space and really observing leads you to notice that although there is silence – it is far from still. Something is always going on but to notice it yourself, you have to be very present and alert, the mind has to calm down. You then become aware of the tiniest movements or sounds, from the faint buzzing of a bee, the rustling and creaking of a tree or the busy work of an ant. To the attentive eye, each moment of the day has its own beauty, and in the same garden or park, every hour, one can witness a picture, which was never before been seen and which shall never be seen again. You may also notice the intensity of colors and begin to feel the living presence of the plants and trees around you. You can then feel the spiritual connection between us all, which without the gift of silence with its intense depth and power, you may have easily overlooked.
The spiritual truth is; the calmer our mind is, the more efficient we will be in whatever we are doing and our emotional body as well as our physical body will reap the benefits.