The sound of silence in a world of noise

By Lionel Wijesiri

“When we listen attentively there is neither agreement nor disagreement; we are just in a state of attention” - J. Krishnamurti

I am a believer that silence plays such an important role in our lives and yet we take it for granted; that is to say, we seldom anchor ourselves in the present moment long enough to listen and appreciate what silence brings.

In public or conversational speaking, experts point out the effectiveness of taking an intentional “pregnant” pause every so often, just to allow the listener to catch up and digest what is being said. Some professionals refer to that purposeful pause as “dropping the rock.” The practice is to take a deep breath and, as you release the breath, visualise yourself dropping a rock into a pond of water, watching it slowly sink to the bottom while, at the same time, observing the ripples of silence pulsating towards your audience before continuing with what you are saying. The ripple effect of intentional silence can be far reaching when communicating with others.

Noise

In the modern world, silence has practically ceased to exist. The human race has stamped its authority over the planet Earth not just by covering its surface with concrete and destroying its plant and animal life, but also by burying the natural sounds of the Earth beneath a cacophony of man-made noise.

We live our lives against the background of this din, with the jagged mechanical sounds of urban-industrial society continually assaulting our ears: the noise of building and renovating, the chatter of radios and TVs in other people’s cars and houses, and pop music blaring from every conceivable place. But nothing, of course, has done more to blot out silence than the transport sector. The experts have long identified transportation - passenger vehicles, trains, buses, motorcycles, medium and heavy trucks, trains and aircraft - as one of the most pervasive outdoor noise sources.

This quietness seems so foreign now that it seems difficult to believe that a hundred years ago and before, it was everywhere all the time. Back then this quietness would even have filled the busiest city centres, which would have probably had a noise level equivalent to that of a modern small village.

Live in noise

This noise is certainly one of the reasons why modern life is so stressful as well. Today, our senses are bombarded with massive amounts of external stimuli - our fields of vision are always crowded with different (and constantly shifting) things, and our ears are barraged with a bewildering variety of sounds, all of which clamour for attention. Our senses have to absorb and process all this material, which takes up a lot of energy, and means that we’re liable to become drained of energy or ‘run down’ easily.

Is there a way out? Yes, there is. We can get out of this state by removing ourselves from all external stimuli and letting our energy-batteries naturally recharge themselves - i.e. by relaxing. First, you need a plan. Choose a time of day in which you will have less chance of interruption. Then make sure all noise makers (televisions, radios, music and cell phones) are off. Then set aside some time (however much you desire or can take), and simply sit down. Use this time for silent meditation or prayer

We don’t need to wear earplugs to meditate. If we try to block out the world around us, we are not embracing it as we find our peace. While its common sense to turn off those noise-makers before meditation, there is value in learning to let the world be what it is and not be concerned about it.

Even if you don’t have a meditation or prayer session, take 15 to 20 minutes per day to close your eyes and observe your breath. Notice the noises around you and how they go on without your interference. The more you focus on your breath, the more the noises become faded into the background. If a noise is troublesome or begins to irritate you in any way, acknowledge the irritation, but then go back to the breath. Soon you will notice yourself becoming calmer and be able to take that calmness into your daily life. So the next time you hear a noise from a device or a loud conversation from the room next to you, you can choose to ignore it.

Going out

I remember a recent comment made by one of my friends. She said, “My first experience with meditation was at a well-known Indian retreat. I had just begun meditating with the Guru and about 50 other meditators. Guru reminded us to turn off the cell phones before meditation. However, in the middle of our 30-minute meditation, someone’s cell phone vibrated for what seemed like an eternity. I found myself getting angrier by the minute thinking how rude the owner of the cell phone was to not turn it off.”

“After the meditation, Guru asked if we had any questions. I raised my hand and asked the Guru to emphasise to everyone that a cell phone on vibrate is still disruptive. He responded, “What’s the matter? Why couldn’t you meditate with the noise?” I was humbled to silence in an instant.”

The advice of Guru was absolutely correct. We need not control the world around us but control our inner thoughts, feelings, and emotions. When we do that, in no time, we’ll be meditating in airports, at train stations, or on the metro with no problem at all. Because silence is not out there …. It’s within us.”

Fear

Silence, at first, can be scary for some people, especially those who are constantly filling their environment with noise, whether it’s music, television, endless telephone conversations, or the company of other people.

Spending time in meditation and contemplation helps you overcome any residual fear of silence. Learn to not run from your fear, but face it, and welcome it as your teacher. The emptiness out of which all sounds come, and back into which they disappear, is in fact not empty at all. It only appears that way.

In his message for World Day of Communication, Pope Benedict asked people to stop amid the noise and haste and listen to the sounds of silence in life. “In silence, we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves; ideas come to birth and acquire depth; we understand with greater clarity what it is we want to say and what we expect from others; and we choose how to express ourselves,” he said. Benedict, who is a quiet man himself, said that today “silence is a precious commodity” in a world with a “surcharge of stimuli and data.”

Fine advice indeed!