The beauty of silence

"all of man's misery derives
from not being able to sit
quietly in a room alone"

Blaine Pascal

We live in a noisy world and for most of us, we have been conditioned to accept the constant din. If its not the TV or the radio, its IPODs and people who won't or can't stop talking. About the only time most people get any quiet is during a holiday that includes being in nature.

So conditioned are we to noise that when we do experience silence, we have the urge to create some noise by turning on the TV or radio. Some people even buy machines that create 'white noise' so that they can sleep at night.

Silence is frightening to people who are constant and compulsive talkers. They have no idea what they are missing or the benefits that come with silence. I'm convinced the reason for this is that when they are silent, they are forced to listen to their own thoughts. Since most people let thoughts enter unfiltered into their heads, they are inundated with negative thoughts and images. Best not to think!

There is in nature, no such thing as empty space or empty time. Whenever silence occurs, thoughts rush in to fill the void. Through meditation you can learn to control the flow of thoughts. But greatness and achievement are lost by rushing to fill the void with noise. In the stillness you can find serenity and connection with a higher intelligence. It is in the silence that the thoughts that can change a life are born.

It takes practice but if you try being alone with your thoughts and control them by only permitting the positve energy thoughts, you will soon become additcted to the silence. The ideas and inspirational thoughts that follow will lift your spirit. You then have the opportunity to become what only you can be..

And if what I said doesn't convince you, remember these words from Mark Twain...

"it is better to keep your mouth closed

and be thought a fool, then to open

your mouth and remove all doubt"

Eduardo