Why is silence so underrated?

Our everyday lives are a cacophony of noises. News and advertisements blaring from our T.Vs. and car radios keep us informed, music on our itunes or spotify list accompany us as we work in the gym and twitter feeds and instagram influencers tell us what is happening at this very moment and is ‘oh so cool’. As if all that noise were not enough we fill out the rest of the time with constantly checking our emails and social media posts in the fear of not losing out. Collectively as a society we are in a mad rush to be achieving something and heading someplace.

And in this endless noise filled world, COVID-19 has wrought havoc by upending our economies and chipping away at our neatly packaged global world orders and societies. Despite all this mayhem, one small bit of sanity has emerged and that has been the ‘cutting out the noise’- even if it has been a tad too briefly.

We all know that our environment shapes and moulds us and has a huge impact on who and what we become. So why do we as a society fear silence: ‘awkward’ silences in conversations and silence of our own mind? Many ancient traditions- like Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sufi mysticism or Shamanic ones tell us to make silence and solitude a habit to enrich our lives.

Silence is immensely important in spiritual practice. In this inward journey and path of finding the Self, meditation surely helps. However, in Hindu traditions, silence does not mean mere verbal silence. The rishis and munis (sages) embraced silence by the cessation of their senses: all feelings, thoughts and desires. By shutting out their senses and body mind constructs these sages could open the doors to the subtler worlds and allow wisdom or peace or Grace to come in.

As the Zen saying goes –“We cannot see our reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.”

Let us have the courage to value and embrace silence. Who knows where these paths may lead.

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