Second Week of Advent, Thursday: Silence

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

Those who practice meditation soon learn that silence is something much greater than not speaking words or the absence of sound. Once our attention and awareness moves beyond the spoken word and then beyond the subtle inner “noise” of sensation, thought, and feeling, and comes to rest in the center of our being, it is there that we discover true silence. We discover silence as empty of word, of sound, or image but full of presence. Silence emanates the existence of God within us. Deep silence, beyond words and thoughts, ushers us into the experience of oneness. The Sanskrit word for oneness or unity—samadhi—means “holding together” or “to bring together completely.” It refers to our ability to bring our attention and our awareness to rest in our essential nature as silent, eternal, unchanging, pure, existence-being. It means to be restored to wholeness, returning our awareness to its origin.

Several images from scripture, songs, and prayers of this season point to silence as the fertile ground from which the Christ Consciousness can be realized, or born. It is a “silent night” a “holy night” when the divine presence is revealed. The shepherds keep watch on their flocks in the stillness of the night when a divine revelation comes to them.

The first few verses of the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali offer instruction for the experience of silence that allows higher consciousness to be revealed to us and experienced by us. It tells us that samadhi occurs naturally when the mental field is silent—when the restless thought activity has subsided. No longer obscured by the modifications in the mental field, the true Self is revealed. Silent night, holy night—in silence, in wholeness, the true Self is known.

Practice:

When you meditate, intend to meditate superconsciously, to have your awareness restored to its original wholeness. The word “super” means “above or beyond.” To meditate superconsciously is to access a higher state of consciousness, beyond our ordinary fragmented state of awareness.

The key is to know that superconsciousness is natural to you. When we meditate, we are simply arranging conditions so that we can rest in the silent awareness of pure knowing.

Begin with the intention to enter the silence of superconsciousness. Initially use a technique such as observing the breath, or a mantra to focus your attention on one point. One-pointed concentration will quiet mental restlessness. As soon as you become aware of inner peace or silence, let go of the technique and let your awareness rest in the silence of your soul.

Contemplate:

In the heart

is a well, filled
with the sound
of silence.
Drink

from it.
One taste
 changes everything.

How do I know?
The day I stopped

sitting on the edge

and fell in,

told me this.   

            —Ellen Grace O'Brian, from The Sanctuary of Belonging

Reflect:

Silence is a quality of being that permeates the body and the mind. Let us ask ourselves: How silent am I? Do I welcome silence or try to drown it out? What does silence hold for me?