12 Entering the silence
IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING WE MIGHT THINK OR FEAR THE PRACTICE OF SILENCE IS NOT ABOUT LIVING A LIFE THAT IS IN ANY WAY DIMINISHED, BUT ABOUT ENRICHING OUR LIFE EXPERIENCE SO THAT IT HAS MORE VALUE, MORE NUANCE AND TEXTURE, MORE BEAUTY, MORE MYSTERY AND MORE PIQUANCY.
BY MAGGIE HAMILTON S
o used are we to having every moment of our waking lives occupied with sound, that for many of us it is hard to imagine life
outside and beyond this. And so in those rare moments when we are alone, rather than embracing the silence we turn on the sound system, the radio or television, or we pick up the phone and are at once relieved to punctuate the quiet with music or chatter. So accustomed are we to doing this that
we are not even aware that we are filling our whole lives with sound. We know that prolonged exposure to certain sounds can make us deaf, but there is a great deal more to the effects of sound on us than this. When we make a habit of turning on the radio or television we are not only exposing ourselves to thousands upon thousands of differing sounds, but their differing energies also, because sound is energy. We do this without thinking, without
any awareness of the effects that this daily avalanche of words and sound has on us. And if we are not careful our whole lives can end up becoming immersed in the mindless chat on radio or television, by inane stories and conversations and music, all of which keep us in a state of constant passivity, of perpetual distraction. This doesn’t help us on our life’s quest, because there is no room to think, let alone to be. Every word has an energy of its own and so even the choice of words and how they
are delivered can be formidable. Words can and do encourage others to deeds of compassion and incredible personal achievement, and they can also spark the slaughter of millions. When we listen to the words of many of our contemporary songs we hear words of extreme anger and violence and despair. And yet because the music is seductive rarely do we think about what the words mean, let alone the impact their energy has on all who hear them. If we are serious about wanting to get
going with our life’s quest then we need to be able to hear our inner voice whenever and wherever it needs to speak to us. So many of us are desperate for guidance. We yearn to make contact with our inner voice, not realising that with all the noise and chatter we allow into our lives that we are thwarting ourselves at every turn. As we begin to understand the likely
effects this endless barrage has on our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being, no longer are we surprised that we are feeling so tired and stressed so much of the time. We can also see that without any genuine head space we are unlikely to be able to think the great thoughts or to dream the great dreams. For too long many of us have struggled
on through the years in a haze of non-stop sound completely unaware of what we are doing to ourselves. And as the noise and the chatter grows so too does our feeling that life is relentless, that there is too much change and that we are out of
control. We long for some peace and space, but the harder we pursue this the more elusive it becomes. It had become a habit to simply lose
myself in music, in the news, or in some debate or other. This brought me all the distraction I could hope for, but little peace or satisfaction. And so even though I meditated every day, and even though I was more mindful about my daily conduct, in my heart of hearts I knew that still I needed to discover a better, more satisfying way to be. The more I pondered this question the
more I began to realise that deep down what I yearned for was a space that lay beyond all the noise and chatter. What my soul longed for was silence, was a depth and quality of silence in which I could genuinely immerse myself, a depth of silence that could deliver a level of peace that was beyond everyday imagining. Being a person who likes to be busy I
wondered how I might access this kind of silence while living and working in a big city. The solution came to me unexpectedly as such insights often do. I was sitting in heavy traffic at the end of a long day at work and was feeling the usual frustrations of being stuck somewhere for an indefinite period of time, when I suddenly realised that the program I was listening to was making me feel even more stressed. I switched channels, but nothing could satisfy. A voice inside suggested that I simply turn off the radio. Turn it off? The
thought had never occurred to me, and yet when I thought about it, it made absolute sense, and so I did just that. The effect was immediate and dramatic.
In that instant I found myself inside a vast cocoon of silence, and all the frustration, all the stress and anxiety of sitting in the traffic had evaporated. Everything around me came into sharp focus and I found myself aware, more aware than I had been in a very long time. I was aware of myself and my body, aware of the shapes and colours of the cars around me, aware of all the frenetic energy around me. And yet in spite of all the chaos and frustration surrounding me I was filled with peace and a deep sense of well-being. So profound was this experience that
I wanted to capture it and so I began to practise silence while driving. Not only did my stress levels drop dramatically, I found that life became clearer, simpler and more profound. And in those exquisite moments between thoughts I had the time and space to joy in the seasons, in the privilege of human life, in the beautiful city in which I lived. From time to time subtle understandings about the very nature of existence were revealed to me, not because I am extraordinary, but because there was space in my day to make such things possible. I then began to realise that silence is yet another manifestation of the sacred face of life. I found the more I invited silence into odd moments in my day, the more I felt at
Soft Diamond Light
Specifically created as a talisman of spiritual power, the Soft Diamond Light box set – by author and composer Anatole Petrovich Kononewsky – includes a full-colour hardcover book and a 15-track sacred music CD ‘Only Love Matters: music for Soft Diamond Light’.
Official Public Launch Invitation Adyar Bookshop 14th September 2011 at 11.00am
Mezzanine Level, 99 Bathurst Street Sydney NSW •
www.adyar.com •
www.kononewsky.com
93841i142 SEPTEMBER 2011 Anatole Petrovich Kononewsky
“You have created for us a sacred object to celebrate the divine, nothing to say except - utterly exquisite.” Maggie Hamilton, Publisher, Inspired Living, Allen & Unwin
“
...the book is utterly fascinating.” Margaret Gee
“Your music took my breath away...” Susan Barton AM, founder, Lighthouse Foundation Ltd
Anatole is a writer, composer, film-maker, entrepreneur. He has
been involved in major humanitarian, environmental and business projects since the early 70’s.
Speaking engagements:
www.kononewsky.com
Order your copy now!
www.2OrderNow.com
Free Wednesday Webinars
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