Silent Devotions
This week’s Monday Night Devotions was on the concept of silence and silent meditation. I had considered having all of my attendees remain silent, but I had reservations… I am not sure they would have enjoyed, even if they had been able to do it, and pretty sure they would not have come back. Perhaps some feared that I really would do this because attendance was lower than usual.
We began with everyone mentioning what they thought of as silence, whether it be positive or negative and the different ways that silence is used, i.e. the “silent treatment” of punishment, and also the positive quality regarded by teachers of young children. following this introspection we went into our own silent phase and all remained silent (not just refraining from talking, but without making any noise at all), as we read quotes projected onto the wall. following the quotes, we spent 10 minutes in silent meditation with only some soothing instrumental music to accompany us.
Afterwards, we launched into a discussion of the quotes, and the experience of having to be silent. From de Gaulle’s comment that “silence is the ultimate weapon of power” with Lao-Tzu saying that “silence is a source of great strength”. we moved into Wiesel’s refusal to ever remain silent when people are suffering because “Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” Mother Teresa told us that “we need silence to be able to touch souls.” Naturally there was Depeche Mode and Simon & Garfunkel thrown in for good measure.
Personally, I find those times of silence to be the most introspective. I recall times that the silence was deafening because it was so real, so crisp, and so alive. The difference between silence being considered the absence of sound and considering it to be the presence of something else entirely, something which we cannot comprehend was also brought up. Gandhi, Buddha and Baha’u'llah told us of the importance of being silent in order to meditate, and contemplate the mysteries of this world. I hope that we were able to do some of that this week.
In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in an clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness.
~ Ghandi
From meditation springs wisdom. From lack of meditation, loss of wisdom.
~ Buddha
Bahá’u'lláh says there is a sign (from God) in every phenomenon: the sign of the intellect is contemplation and the sign of contemplation is silence, because it is impossible for a man to do two things at one time — he cannot both speak and meditate.
~ Baha’u'llah
