Monday, September 30, 2013

SILENCE






There is an old adage which reads ‘SILENCE is golden’. Perhaps the beginning of this adage could be attributed to our forefathers, the cave men who leveraged the power of silence the most when in the jungle. They used silence to stalk a prey and kill for food and they also used silence as a means to eliminate potential danger from animals and foes stalking them. Over thousands of years just as the cave men evolved the meaning of silence evolved and today we Soak In Life Eliminating Noise Clutter & Ego through silence.

While communication has progressed in leaps and bounds, from sign language to the spoken word to the written word and today through wireless technology, our senses are being overworked and fatigued by the sheer magnitude, variety and intensity of the communication tirade. As a result we now have to make a systematic and conscious effort to embrace silence. Putting the mobile phones on silent mode is a visible manifestation of the need for silence to be induced. With noise overpowering us in different ways, being immune to its wiles is not an option. However by being aware that noise is negatively impacting us we find ways and means to address the issue so that we have a better appreciation of our life devoid of complications.


Meditation is perhaps one of the most popular techniques used to leverage the power of silence. The Vippasana method is perhaps one of the most intensive and effective techniques of using the power of silence to connect with the inward self and to rediscover ourself. Whatever the technique, the essence of silence is cut out the noise in our life both physical and metaphorical so that we can listen to our heart, our mind and our conscience. This means we have to eliminate Noise which is sound from the physical world as well as the sounds of negativity, fear and loneliness which is psychological. Then there is clutter that is an outcome of a disorganized, confused and tardy style of lining and thinking. Lack of concentration, being easily distracted and flirting with ideas and thoughts aimlessly, are manifestations of this type of noise. Finally there is the ego, which time and time again rears its ugly head and manifests itself in one-upmanship, the compelling urge to hold center stage and a defiant and stubborn attitude.


Libraries are prime examples of how SILENCE is accorded a god like status. Have you noticed that you can focus better, widen the depth and breadth of your knowledge  and above all stimulate & recharge yourself in the library. If you were to extend the golden rule of silence in everyday life, you would be more observant, less argumentative, soak in a lot more and have people pay attention to you when you share your thoughts and ideas. This is because SILENCE provides both you and those around you an opportunity to Soak In Life Eliminating Noise Clutter & Ego

Action Points

  1. Next time you attend a meeting or follow a discussion on TV observe those who speak sparingly. How do they come across in their style of communication? Do they make substantially more contribution to the quality of the discussion/ meeting?
  2. Try to sit silently for 5 minutes. Did time weigh heavily on you? Were you able to control your mind from wandering here and there and thinking about a wide variety of issues?
  3. Watch a Charlie Chaplin movie to appreciate the power of eloquence emitting from that silent movie.

Power Act - from http://www.actspot.com/ is focused on -
Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.
You are also invited to visit our inspirational and motivational blog