September/October, 2020
There is rarely any silence in the world we live in. There is always traffic, the beep beep beep of trucks backing up, construction noise. Here on Valencia Street, there are dogs barking, people yelling, people having a good time eating and drinking in the outside restaurant downstairs, fire engines and police sirens going by.
Even in our own houses, the TV is on, or music is playing, or we are involved with social media, listening to songs and blogs. etc. We listen to politics, there is so much chatter along with “breaking news” constantly, and we have anxiety around that.
One of the great things about the early weeks of the pandemic was that there was much more silence. Not as many cars on the roads, quieter streets, little pedestrian traffic. Everyone noticed it, and enjoyed.
Are you comfortable with silence?
Are you comfortable with silence? Can you have silence in your house, or in a conversation? Or do you get restless or uncomfortable when you’re with another person and neither one of you is saying anything?
I had a friend who went camping up in the mountains by herself for 2-3 weeks. It was quiet up there except for the natural sounds. When she came back, she felt bombarded! There was nothing unusual, except for all the noise. She could hardly function. I saw her the day after she came back and she had to leave and go home because she couldn’t handle feeling so bombarded. After a while, of course, it became normalized for her, but it made me realize how much noise there really is in our world.
The very first verses in the book of Genesis say: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
We can imagine how quiet that empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep.
But then there was creativity
But then there was creativity: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. We can imagine how powerful that creativity was that came out of the silence.
Most religions have a history of silence, of meditation. Buddhist texts say Buddha meditated under a ficus tree for 49 days and then attained enlightenment. Mohammed went into a cave a number of times and came out with the inspirations that would become the Koran. Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and nights. Christians have a long history of meditation that has largely been lost.
In our current situation, there is normal noise, but there is also the overlay of anxiety and fear, mostly about covid and worry about money. Lots of survival energy, even in conversations. It’s in the air around us.
I was reading an article the other day by Rev Lauren van Harn about the meaning of salvation. The author was looking at several words and redefining them. She wrote:
Religious teachings and spiritual practices offer “tools” to help us find guidance amidst the confusion, community in the isolation, and some form of comfort in the pain and grief. In Sanskrit and Pali, the ancient sacred languages of India, the word for salvation is jivanmukti. Jivanmukti translates to mean, “spiritual release or salvation achieved while still alive.”
I love that definition.
Meditation and silence can offer that spiritual release. Time are tough right now, and all of us can use spiritual healing and release, and the power of silence
The Power of Silence
If you believe that God is within you, then you can go within and find your God. God is hard to find sometimes if we are focused on the outside noise and chatter and our own anxiety. We need that silence, that stillness we have within us. That stillness and that discovery of the God within can allow us to have peace in the midst of outside noise and turmoil.
A few moments of silence every day is healing and powerful. Take time regularly to find that silence, to find your God within, and allow your own internal healing.
As always, thanks for supporting Psychic Horizons & the Church of Natural Grace with your sustainable giving! It truly makes a difference, both for us and for you.
Best regards,
Rev. Laura Hopper
