Silence, it’s a deceptively simple word, yet such a profound concept.

You could call it coincidence but I prefer synchronicity. As I started writing this article, a rare blackout occurred in the middle of the night. The silence was immediate—no electricity, no humming, just stillness. A voice within urged me to listen to the sound of silence. And I thought, “What better way to write about silence than having an immediate experience of silence thrust upon me?”

SILENCE TEACHES

I learnt this in a less-than-comfortable way in June last year at a Vipassana meditation retreat in the mountainous region of Kintamani in Bali. It was an experience of total silence. No forms of communication were allowed. No writing, no talking, no gadgets, not even eye contact, and alas, no yoga! Utter solitude. Surrounded by people, I had no one to “talk” to but myself for 10 days. And no distractions either. The days started with cold morning showers at 4.15 a.m., the first meditation session was at 4.30 a.m., the last meditation at 8.30 p.m. And nothing in between but more meditation—oh, and three meals.

The surroundings were quiet and peaceful enough, but it was an entirely different story in my head. An endless stream of noisy, jumbled thoughts ran constantly through my mind—it was anything but peaceful! Why was I there, I wondered. Wasn’t meditation meant to give me peace of mind?The feeling of internal disquiet was amplified on Day Number 4, with my entire body in pain from the days of sitting. Eventually the ceaseless internal chatter slowed down. I reached a state where I started having deep internal conversations with myself. Past memories flashed through my mind as I meditated. The darkest events that were long buried surfaced, bringing with them tears of sadness, anger and pain. These were followed by tears of forgiveness as my emotional baggage was released.

Through silence, I learnt to focus on the present. I learnt that everything was impermanent. The realization was liberating! I felt reborn as I connected with my higher self. And I actually did hear the sounds of silence, the stillness of the air, the inner peace within me and the quietness of my mind. That was pure bliss.

SILENCE LISTENS

My regular practice of silence has also taught me to listen to others.Once I’m in tune with myself, it becomes easy to be present and connect to another person, soul to soul. If you are in disharmony with yourself, it is hard to be in harmony with others.

Singapore meditation and mindfulness teacher, Pamposh Dhar, says that you listen better in silence. When you are in peace with your own mind, you are able to listen fully to another person’s real meanings behind their words. However, if you are busy dealing with the chatter of your own mind, you aren’t truly listening but merely hearing their words. It is equally important to listen to the unspoken words as well. Needless to say, when you truly listen to the other party, that’s when relationships flourish and connections deepen.

Helen Clare Rozario, Vipassana teacher with Nirvana Mind in Singapore, says that when she meditates, the silence gradually digs deeper into her core being, like a shovel, and pulls out the roots of her fears so that they rise to the surface and can be met with mindful awareness. “Silence brings the conversations in my mind to a halt, tells me to shut up and I get an opportunity to hear what the Universe has to say,” says Helen.

SILENCE TAKES TIME

The question on hand is whether you make time for silence. In a society where doing nothing is deemed inefficient, busyness is often glorified. These autopilot reactions to stay occupied are nothing else but distractions that keep you away from listening to your heart’s desire. Returning to silence brings you the space to clear the noise and realign your mind body and soul. “It helps to calm you and brings balance and clarity; to listen to your own voice and not the myriad voices of others that assault us in most of our everyday living,” says Regina Sayer, Intuitive Healer from Singapore’s Songs of the Sacred Self.

With the mounting to-do lists, confused and scattered minds are common. If meditation is not your cup of tea, even five minutes of silence does wonders. Simply listening to the therapeutic sound of your breath helps to regain your focus on the tasks at hand. It helps you to stay centered and grounded.In addition, silence is a sacred space of reflection and inner check to observe your own thoughts, behaviors and actions. It is akin to watching a movie except that you get to determine the ending of it. As a result, you consciously make better decisions in your life based on what you choose instead of reacting to circumstances. It is a form of self- introspection.

It is said that in prayers, you ask; and in meditation, you listen. Most people would love to find the solutions—and yet are afraid of the emotions that silence could bring, such as loneliness, quietness and uncertainty. It is perhaps about how courageous you are to look within and move on.

SILENCE ANSWERS

In silence, you find your deepest answers. As you connect with your inner soul, you listen to your deepest desire. It is where you experience eureka moments and a voice shouts clearly, “I knew it all along!” In this space, solutions are found and creativity is unleashed. Ideas flow easily in a calm mind. In the end, balance and inner peace becomes a natural state.

A fellow Vipassana meditation practitioner, Ana-Maria Gavrilescu from Romania, commented on how silence has improved her daily life. “I listen more to outside messages, such as signs, people, actions, and I act less impulsive. I have a clearer attitude over my own actions. I am sharper… and more humble… I shrink my ego.”

Written by Elies Hadi
This article was first published in the print edition of Yoga Journal Singapore, which is now Yogahood Online.