Silence is an acknowledgement of Noise!
Photo copyright Suresh Gundappa 2008
Silence has been defined by literary meaning for a long time. In fact most of the people define silence in relation to noise. The reason why it is so difficult to convey silence to a student of meditation is because of his obsession with noise. He tries to kill noise before finding silence. Truth is it is easy to find silence if you just acknowledge noise.
If you feel that eliminating noise is silence, you are going struggle for a while. Silence is nothing but deep awareness of noise.
Silence is an acknowledgment of Noise!
In fact awareness of noise is Silence!
You need not have a quiet corner to do practice meditation. Any place would do. Yes for a beginner of Meditation silent place helps but its not a guarantee you learn silence well.
Do you know attraction of the drugs & alcohol is because of silence? When you are on drugs or high on alcohol this is what happens to you. You suddenly find that you can catch everything going on around you. You will find that you are in middle of noisy place but something inside you is spinning! its a exhilarating feeling! that exhilarated feeling comes from that you can notice more clearly everything happening around you plus you are aware of heady feeling inside you.
That’s why people often wonder how drunkards manage their way to home! but they do! but then it is stimulated awareness. it will lost as long as the effect of external stimulant is there.
You also feel same way when you are in love, have you noticed lovers, they can be in the middle of fish market but they can still look into each other eyes, smile, hold hands and kiss, nothing around them matters! In Love you also find your silent flowing center. but then it stays as long as your love stays.
Meditation is a honeymoon which never ends!
In meditation you will find the similar exhilarating effect but with awareness and with silence.
If you want to get to silence then start acknowledging noise first. don’t fight with noise. If you sit for a meditation and then you start acknowledging in awareness various noises around you then you will also find there is something inside you which is always silent irrespective of noise.
Meditation is art of finding center amidst all noise. Meditation is knowing something within in you is always silent irrespective of what is happening around you. Meditation is finding calm bottom beneath roaring ocean.
Love and lots of it
Suresh
[...] dorfl wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt Photo copyright Suresh Gundappa 2008 Silence has been defined by literary meaning for a long time. In fact most of the people define silence in relation to noise. The reason why it is so difficult to convey silence to a student of meditation is because of his obsession with noise. He tries to kill noise before finding silence. Truth is it is easy to find silence if you just acknowledge noise. If you feel that eliminating noise is silence, you are going struggle for a while. Silence is nothing but deep awareness of noise. Silence is an acknowledgment of Noise! In fact awareness of noise is Silence! You need not have a quiet corner to do practice meditation. Any place would do. Yes for a beginner of Meditation silent place helps but its not a guarantee you learn silence well. Do you know attraction of the drugs & alcohol is because of silence? […] [...]
[...] Jeffrey wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt Photo copyright Suresh Gundappa 2008 Silence has been defined by literary meaning for a long time. In fact most of the people define silence in relation to noise. The reason why it is so difficult to convey silence to a student of meditation is because of his obsession with noise. He tries to kill noise before finding silence. Truth is it is easy to find silence if you just acknowledge noise. If you feel that eliminating noise is silence, you are going struggle for a while. Silence is nothing but deep awareness of noise. Silence is an acknowledgment of Noise! In fact awareness of noise is Silence! You need not have a quiet corner to do practice meditation. Any place would do. Yes for a beginner of Meditation silent place helps but its not a guarantee you learn silence well. Do you know attraction of the drugs & alcohol is because of silence? […] [...]
Lovely photo! and even better post!
Amazing photos and real good posts, I like it very much, we have much common things. I too like photography as much as meditation, in the end photography is one more way of meditation or at least can be another way.
Take also a look to my blog http://www.personal-developmentblog.com there I talk also about meditation.
In other words, truth doesn’t make a noise. =)
in the noise, the silnece within can be even stronger and deeper than when there is total silence in the enironment around ourselves. i live in a city, Hong Kong, where it is not easy at all if not impossible to find silence. But i can achieve it at least everyday. This is the silence of the mind when the thoughts stop and you are just aware of it.
Ah, we haven’t had a lecture-style post in a while. I really enjoy these. =)
that is a very powerful message, Suresh!
I noticed that today many people are seeking silence, for they are obviously too stressed form noise.
I really like your idea of silence making a kind of a “center” within - very intresting and true.
There is a Blog Carnival at
http://anmolmehta.com/blog/2008/02/21/meditation-yoga-spiritual-growth-carnival-edition-14/
Please Visit.
I agree with Bad Karma , it’s longtime since you have written Preacher passage. I enjoyed every bit of it.
I have same problem < I concentrate too much on noise. i need to relook at it.
beautiful