The Sounds Of Silence

I take one day a week of my daily walk to leave the mp3 player behind and embrace the silence. Of course, it's not really silent. The sounds of passing cars, jingling keys, birds, footsteps, and other ambient noises surround me as I stroll, yet I still find solitude within that keeps me in the moment and allows me to sit with the self. Besides, you can only listen to "Danger Zone" so many times.

The world has become far too noisy as of late. We are constantly bombarded with sound, so much so that it often drowns out the sound of not only our outer voice, but our inner one as well. If we can't hear our inner voice, how can we continue to define ourselves in this life? We've come to rely on external voices to get us through our day. We've become passive in this life, allowing others to think what's best for us, instead of finding out what's best for ourselves.

Do you know what your breath sounds like? Or your footsteps as you move around? When was the last time you sat in complete silence? If you can't remember, then it's been too long. When you're raised in a world of noise, complete silence can be intimidating, frightening even. Some are so afraid, they would rather talk aloud to themselves just to hear the sound of their own voice rather than deal with the silence. However, the path to accepting personal responsibility lies within the ability to listen to the self. We don't want to face the truth, truth that we already know, but it is necessary for our own personal growth if we want to move forward in this world.

I try to sit in silence as often as I can. I find comfort in the quiet spaces, a sense of peace that allows me to process my thoughts, to get a clear sense of my own being. You'd be surprised at how much you can learn by closing your mouth. The world opens up a little more. Problems find solutions. You hear the sound of rushing water and relate it to the movement in your own life. Sit in silence long enough and you'll learn how to maintain that Zen state even when surrounded by volume.

My music keeps me motivated on my daily walks, but the silence keeps me centered within my place in the 'Verse. I become one with the passing cars, the jingling keys, the footsteps and the birds. I allow their sounds to pass through me, and I find myself more interconnected with the world, rather than separate from it. This is one reason why people fear the silence, why they cloak themselves in noise. They want desperately to be connected to the world, and they fear that if it is silent, they won't be. Hence the constant barrage of auditory intrusions. TVs, radios, cell phones, video games, and other chattering noise makers. They create a false sense of safety.

The truth lies in the opposite. Within the quiet is where we are truly connected, where it all comes together in a sort of 'harmonic convergence' with the 'Verse.

Spend some time in the silence. Hear the sound of you own smile. There is much to be learned in the quiet of the moment. After all, moments are what make up a life. You really don't want to miss any, so stop talking and start listening. Your soul (and your ears) will thank you.

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence.
- Simon and Garfunkel