On Silences

PapillonT

PapillonT

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What is the meaning of silence?
How do you interpret it (above the domain of acoustics)?
In your life, how do you seek it, and where?

I've been fascinated by this topic for quite a while (making it a major focus of my work for the time being), and I'd appreciate your thoughts on it.
 
Above the domain of acoustics, it's metaphor. In that sense, to me, silence is a space inside whereby if I deliberately seat my consciousness within it, I am able to intuit information that is normally filtered out by ego.

There's a lot of different ways to say it:

A place where I'll shut up so I can actually hear what I've been trying to say.
A method for changing my brain to a passive, 'receptive' state instead of an active, 'broadcasting' one.
Observing the observer.
Getting out of my own way.

And this:

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I think silence can be healing and self-validating. When you're used to having your mind chattering at you, repeating the same doubts and put-downs over and over, or thinking about what other people have said to you, or what they might think, suddenly having that all go blank feels like freedom. And then... you hear something else. Or maybe 'hear' isn't even the right word. It's just the acknowledgment of your own presence in your body and an entrance into a space where there is nothing owed, nothing needed, nothing expected. You just are. Silence becomes presence.
 
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Silence for me is a still mind. No thought. Silence is healing. It's peaceful.

Absence of external noise isn't necessary for inner silence, though it helps.

I find silence through meditation and being in nature. Or sometimes I simply notice silence during the day or night.
 
PapillonT said:
What is the meaning of silence?
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How do you interpret it (above the domain of acoustics)?
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I've been fascinated by this topic for quite a while (making it a major focus of my work for the time being), and I'd appreciate your thoughts on it.
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Well it's involved in my work, too, since the eremitics and monks I'm looking at make 'silence' a central pillar of their devotional practice.

For me, 'silence' is subsumed under one pole in a dichotomy between 'nature' and 'culture'. On one hand there is the noise of the city, cultural programming, the pressing concerns of civilised life, rules, obligations, structure, &c... and on the other is the absense. 'Nature' devoid of structure; nature which just 'is'. It's the passive to culture's active.

And silence is a key component of that. It represents natality, newness, a clean slate. 'Silence' is what happens when we shake up the etch-a-sketch of life.


In your life, how do you seek it, and where?
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In nature.
 
it is sanctuary, a place to retreat to. .a place let the truth of things find you. .it is seeking the divine for guidance and wisdom. it is where your heart directs you to the true true.
 
Pin said:
I can get uncomfortable with it when I'm talking to someone. I find it reassuring when I get verbal and nonverbal feedback, it implies comprehension even if that isn't true.
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Thank you for your reply. Do you think this might be related to your extroversion?
I have two friends who explain it in a somewhat similar perspective of certain discomfort and incidentally, they are both ESFJs.
 
Deleted member 16771 said:
Well it's involved in my work, too, since the eremitics and monks I'm looking at make 'silence' a central pillar of their devotional practice.

For me, 'silence' is subsumed under one pole in a dichotomy between 'nature' and 'culture'. On one hand there is the noise of the city, cultural programming, the pressing concerns of civilised life, rules, obligations, structure, &c... and on the other is the absense. 'Nature' devoid of structure; nature which just 'is'. It's the passive to culture's active.

And silence is a key component of that. It represents natality, newness, a clean slate. 'Silence' is what happens when we shake up the etch-a-sketch of life.

In nature.
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Thank you for your insights.
Yes, there is a lot of research on this in religious context. I forgot on which period of history you're focused, but I suppose you know this movie?

Last year, their monastery here (the only one in Portugal) got closed (bought by a wine-making company) and the handful of monks were moved to Spain.
 
PapillonT said:
Thank you for your insights.
Yes, there is a lot of research on this in religious context. I forgot on which period of history you're focused, but I suppose you know this movie?


Last year, their monastery here (the only one in Portugal) got closed (bought by a wine-making company) and the handful of monks were moved to Spain.
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No I'm not familiar with that, though of course I'm very familiar with the Carthusians - they're one of the orders I'm looking at.

Thanks for the recommendation!
 
PapillonT said:
What is the meaning of silence?
How do you interpret it (above the domain of acoustics)?
In your life, how do you seek it, and where?

I've been fascinated by this topic for quite a while (making it a major focus of my work for the time being), and I'd appreciate your thoughts on it.
Click to expand...
I've quoted this a few times in the forum now, but it's an evergreen :)
Only in silence the word
Only in dark the light
Only in dying life;
Bright the hawk's flight
On the empty sky.

—The Creation of Éa”

― Ursula K. Le Guin
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In silence I can hear the spirit that saturates everything in the world, and in all the worlds. The noise of ordinary life and thought drowns it out like city lights at night drown the Milky Way. In silence I participate - not as a human in control, but as another part of the world, belonging here and sharing that belonging with all other things in the great dance which transcends all worlds. There is nothing else, and nor need there be lol. In silence we stop being over there watching, and become one with it, just another glorious part - exactly in our right place.
 
Korg said:
Above the domain of acoustics, it's metaphor. In that sense, to me, silence is a space inside whereby if I deliberately seat my consciousness within it, I am able to intuit information that is normally filtered out by ego.

There's a lot of different ways to say it:

A place where I'll shut up so I can actually hear what I've been trying to say.
A method for changing my brain to a passive, 'receptive' state instead of an active, 'broadcasting' one.
Observing the observer.
Getting out of my own way.
And this:
View attachment 68345
Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply, @Korg
I can actually relate with what you're describing - I don't know if you are involved in some kind of creative works or arts, but personally I experience it most profoundly in that relation, in a state of solitude that is empowering for one's individuality and that allows expression of your creative, true self (rather than losing oneself).
 
John K said:
I've quoted this a few times in the forum now, but it's an evergreen :)
In silence I can hear the spirit that saturates everything in the world, and in all the worlds. The noise of ordinary life and thought drowns it out like city lights at night drown the Milky Way. In silence I participate - not as a human in control, but as another part of the world, belonging here and sharing that belonging with all other things in the great dance which transcends all worlds. There is nothing else, and nor need there be lol. In silence we stop being over there watching, and become one with it, just another glorious part - exactly in our right place.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for this wonderful depiction of our oneness with the world, John :-)
I am not familiar with the work of Ursula K. Le Guin, but now I am going to read it!
 
PapillonT said:
Thank you for your reply, @Korg
I can actually relate with what you're describing - I don't know if you are involved in some kind of creative works or arts, but personally I experience it most profoundly in that relation, in a state of solitude that is empowering for one's individuality and that allows expression of your creative, true self (rather than losing oneself).
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You're welcome.

Yes, I am involved in creative works both professionally and personally. Creative inspiration is something I've thought about a lot in life but have never been able to adequately express. There's a clear sense that I am not generating the idea, I'm only acting as a conduit for it. Not all ideas are like that; creatively inspired ones feel unique that way.
 
PapillonT said:
Thank you so much for this wonderful depiction of our oneness with the world, John :)
I am not familiar with the work of Ursula K. Le Guin, but now I am going to read it!
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I love this quote from CS Lewis

2D297C14-A746-468B-AE88-C06ECA4A1221.webp

The Earthsea tales are brilliant if you like fantasy and wizards. There’s a lot more growing up than in Harry Potter in these.
 
John K said:
I love this quote from CS Lewis

View attachment 68404

The Earthsea tales are brilliant if you like fantasy and wizards. There’s a lot more growing up than in Harry Potter in these.
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Oh, yes! This is also one of my favourite quotes of his (and he is one of my most loved authors).
Thank you :smile:
 
"...And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls,
And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sounds, of silence"

truth. . so much is to be found in the sound of silence. in silence you join the universe, stepping away from the man made and artificial.
 
Aneirin said:
"...And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls,
And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sounds, of silence"
truth. . so much is to be found in the sound of silence. in silence you join the universe, stepping away from the man made and artificial.
Click to expand...

Agree.
I love both the original and Nouela's version.
Thank you for your thoughts @Aneirin
 
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