Saturday, January 05, 2008

Silence

Silence, 1848 by Antoine Augustin Preault
Silence, 1848


To say that the last few weeks have been chaos would be an understatement. I am away from home on a course at the moment to get to know some intricate software and at the same time, take stock of what the last few weeks and the amount of change have meant.

To find myself at the coast in Devon, at a small family run hotel with a room all to myself is a luxury. At the same time, I am gazing out at the most gorgeous wild sea. I am seeking silence, no conversation and time to reflect. What I find is that the coast is anything but silent. The waves are pounding the beach, the palms are waving wildly and the South East wind is hammering the window and sliding through any gaps.

The world today is dominated by noise and often nature's sounds are not heard. At the same time, sitting on my bed, feet up, knitting in hand, I notice that over the last week I also have not heard any noise from the inside. I have been too busy.

When you seek out silence, you hear your breath, your thoughts and above all, you hear your search for freedom and your own truth. What I noticed, is that in the last few weeks, although very busy and reacting to a new business and life around me, I have neglected my inner space, my spiritual space and listening in the silence, I can hear its whispering. I am resting. The reason I need that space, is that within, within the silence, words and sentences are created like the ones you read now. Listening, poised with a pen, I know that the words flow and with it, I know that what is my inner voice, finds a way of expression, silently.

In my hotel room, while I notice there is no conversation to be had with anyone, I sit and wait and marvel at the conversations the sea, the wind and the palms are having with each other.

You don't need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Don't even listen, simply wait. Don't even wait, be quite still and solitary. The world will offer itself freely to you to be unmasked. Franz Kafka

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I particularly like this post. Silence has a rejuvenating quality and is very difficult to find in our modern world.

On a different topic - can I extend a "virtual invite" to come visiting over to a group of Old Stylers trying to simplify a bit - we are on www.moneysavingexpert.com in the Old Style Forums on the "Simplifying Life" thread.

ceridwen