Befriending Silence

Silence is the pause in me

when I am near to God.

                         Arvo Pärt

Imagine a great symphony without spaces between the notes. Imagine a conversation with a beloved friend without pauses between the words. Imagine making your way through an incessant wall of noise without any distinction between voice or sound. It would be disorienting to say the least.

Silence is not just the absence of sound, it is a spacious and steady ground beneath all we say or do. All words we speak arise from silence, and return to it. All musical notes sung or played emerge from the silence and fall back to it. Silence is always there, waiting beneath the noise, the busyness and the excess of our daily living.

The 17^th century mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal, once made the observation, “All humanity’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.”

Perhaps there’s more than a little hyperbole in his statement, but there is much truth as well. We can grow accustomed to –even addicted to – the noisy distractions of our living. I hear in Pascal’s words the wise insight that we need silence in order to be well. We need enough silence and spaciousness in our lives to be able to reflect thoughtfully, to wait patiently, to listen attentively and respond wakefully to God’s presence within us and among us.

A more contemporary Christian teacher, Thomas Keating, puts it simply: “Silence is God’s primary language; everything else is poor translation.”  Are we listening? Are we open to slowing down, quieting down enough to befriend the silence that is always there within us and around us?

A Simple Silent Meditation Practice: Find a space where you know you will not be interrupted. Find a comfortable sitting position for your body, making sure your posture is upright and alert. Either close your eyes or let your gaze gently rest on the floor in front of you. Take several deep breaths, paying attention to your breath coming in and going out. Offer a quiet prayer of intention, welcoming God to meet you in this time. Sit in the silence. If you find your mind wandering or experience sleepiness, simply bring your attention back to the present moment by attending to your breath. Alternately, you might use a sacred word or name for God as your focal point. If you find yourself distracted simply offer this word/name in the silence as a renewal of your intention to be in this present moment with loving, non-judgmental awareness. Simply notice the thoughts as they arise and release them into God’s care. Our minds are active and there is a reason why many wise teachers have described our chronic thought patterns as “monkey mind”! At the end of the time quietly offer a prayer of gratitude. Trust that this time is a precious gift that will go with you into your day. If this sort of practice is unfamiliar you might start with just a few minutes of silence and then increase the time to a 20-30 minute meditation period.

Originally published in Kidron Bethel Village's Village Voice newsletter (March 2017)