Personal Sounds and Silence
Photo courtesy of Janet Trickett Merryman Visit her web site at www.zazzle.com/oceana*
Photo Title: Beckie’s fields
Everybody should have his personal sounds to listen for – sounds that will make him exhilarated and alive or quite and calm…. One of the greatest sounds of them all – and to me it is a sound – is utter, complete silence.
Source: Andre Kostelanetz
We are a society dominated by sound.
We seem to be terrified of silence.
When Oprah recently did her series of ten lessons with Echart Tolle, they started each session off with meditation. When they began this session the first time, Oprah said something like, “This will me unique, silence on television.”
We can’t jog with out ear buds connected to a mp3 player.
Grown men complete to have the loudest motor bikes.
We have canned music in our shopping malls.
And young men and women seem to have a permanent connection to their cell phones.
Accustomed to the veneer of noise, to the shibboleths of promotion, public relations, and market research, society is suspicious of those who value silence.
Source: John Lahr
So amid the noise how does one find the silence?
Try this simple thing: on your morning and evening commute, those of you who do, and even those who walk or bike: turn off your radio, or CD or mp3 player. I started this about a week ago. the difference is deafening. I have been more present, have enjoyed the scenery more, didn’t have to listen to commercials or bad news bears.
the other trick is to find the silence between the noise. Daily meditation can help you do this.
I can now, almost at will, reach out and touch the most beautiful and pervasive silence of the universe. When I touch that silence my whole body relaxes with a wonderful sigh.
I don’t tell you to be boastful: Instead to show you that if I can do this then almost anyone can.
So instead of Today’s Link,
Find ten minutes in your day. Find a place and reach out for that special sound that connects you to the silence. You will be much refreshed by it, I promise.
Which is why I often ask you to: Walk in Quiet Places.
While your at it, send me a comment on the sound that is your special sound. I’d love to hear from you. You can send a comment by scrolling down to the bottom of the post where it says either “no comment” or “comments” and click on those words. Thank You.
Links to Related Posts:
Nick
Silence, sounds, noise, peace, Oprah, Eckhart+Tolle, John+Lahr, Andre+Kostelanetz, quotes+on+silence, inspirational+quotes, famous+quotes
My StumbleUpon Page
Subscribe to my Newsletter: Go to Beautiful Summer Morning Inspirational Quote of the Day
Kamagra />
Popularity: 1% [?]
Share on Facebook
Related Posts:
Tags: Andre Kostelanetz, Bad News Bears, Beckie, Canned Music, Daily Meditation, Ear Buds, Merryman, Morning And Evening, Motor Bikes, Oceana, Oprah, Permanent Connection, Photo Courtesy, Photo Title, Promotion Public Relations, Shibboleths, Shopping Malls, Trickett, Veneer, Zazzle
Interesting stuff. I actually find it difficult to concentrate on much of anything (particularly reading and writing) without music playing (have Billy Bragg & REM on right now). I think it’s due to what, if I were in grade school nowadays, would be diagnosed ADD. Basically, the music is controlled noise that blocks out all the uncontrolled noise both external and internal. Certainly a symptom of our modern world (saying that with the caveat that I really don’t think any premodern world was without its difficulties, either. Interesting how some talk so much about the here and now, yet romanticize every there and then they can think of….) (I may have to make a blog post out of that last comment).
Beautiful.
Thanks for the comment, I love one worders. Read your bio at your blog. Very interesting!
Nick
Thank you, Nick. I’ve added you to my personal blog lists (http://madceltbloglist.blogspot.com/). I like to celebrate diversity of the soul…and I think your soul and blog are a wonderful addition to Creation.
Peace and joy…Dale (The Mad Celt)
Hello YogaforCynics
LOL, I just read your line at your “About me” at your blog, that has too be one of the best lines I’ve seen on a blog. You won me over with that. As to your comments about premodern world I read a fantastic book called Household Gods, and I highly recommended it if you need to be cured of some kind of delusion that the premodern world was a piece of cake. The book is a great read even if your appreciate all the comforts of the modern world. I can’t imagine living without a shower with hot water! And those Roman Baths you hear so much about? You wouldn’t even want to be caught dead in one and many people were.
Using music as you do to block other sounds works very well.
I think you have a great subject for a blog there!
Nick
I think we are losing the ability to be comfortable with ourselves. Just to sit and listen to your own heart beat is miraculous. I love the sound of the wind, the waves and the night.All alone just me. As the saying goes silence is golden!!! I find a big difference between sound and noise. Sounds are something I want to listen to, noise is a by product of a society
not willing to listen.
Hi Susan,
You know this is interesting. You never know which posts are going to attract attention and which ones not. I’ve given up trying to figure it out. but this post seems to have touch a nerve. I have had lots of comments. I like your definition of noise and sound.
I will disagree with you on one thing. I don’t think we are losing the ability to be comfortable with ourselves, I think we are instead, regaining our ability to be comfortable with ourselves. There is a planet wide awakening going on, but you can’t hear it for the noise.
Thanks again for your comments.
Nick