Silence & Solitude

As  I got up this morning,at the Wipro Guest House in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, I was a very happy woman.

I was thrilled to go to a classical concert by Bombay Jaysree this evening (at Ravindra Bharati). Then I had a thought: why dont I use the wine-taster’s technique to enjoy this concert better? For the sake of my tee totaller friends,  this is how the technique works:  the wine taster keeps his palate fairly un diltuted by overpowering tastes so as to be able to fully appreciate the wine that he is tasting.

I decided to spend the rest of the day in refreshing silence – no TV, no cell phone, no radio, nothing.

Just sheer undiluted Silence interspersed with sounds of birds chirping or the occasional car whizzing past.

For those who know me (as friends/acquaintances/family), I am known for my episodes of loquaciousness followed by longer intermittent periods of absolute silence.

When I started trying Mounam/Silence as a spiritual practice, few years back, I was struck by how scared I and my fellow novices were in fully embracing silence. Even a trip to the ashram, which would actually be fruitful, if one was just silent enough to experience the amazing tranquility and positivity which each tree/each square inch of that place radiated,was transformed, by  many,into a picnic where everybody was talking at the same time to make themselves heard.

Then I pondered: Isn’t  it true in relationships as well? Be it friendship/love,  social conditioning dictates that we keep talking/communicating to make ourselves heard - our opinions , our thoughts, our views & in many cases gently coercing the friend into agreeing with us.

When was the last time, that you spent- in absolute silence with someone,  and  was totally happy in the companionship?

Now, let us take any regular day,do we ever spend an hour in absolute Silence? Why are we driven into turning up the volume in our car stereos , listening to  noises of news anchors blaring out ‘breaking news’ , or the recent trend- “walk when you talk”?

Is this because we are afraid of Silence and the soul searching and the unwanted questions/fears/ hurt/guilt  that it throws up or is it merely a force of habit? Are we afraid of opening up a Pandora’s box by being silent?

Have we lost the ability to lovingly talk to ourselves, to patiently explore each emotion/thought/feeling till we have had some sense of understanding and peace?

According to SriSri Ravi Shankar, Silence helps to allow the impurities (restlessness) to gently settle down &  helps the person experience deep rest.

Let me end this article with this poem by Alexander Pope,which  continues to be a personal favorite of mine:

Ode on Solitude

Happy the man, whose wish and care
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air,
In his own ground.

Whose heards with milk, whose fields with bread,
Whose flocks supply him with attire,
Whose trees in summer yield him shade,
In winter fire.

Blest! who can unconcern'dly find
Hours, days, and years slide soft away,
In health of body, peace of mind,
Quiet by day,

Sound sleep by night; study and ease
Together mix'd; sweet recreation,
And innocence, which most does please,
With meditation.

Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;
Thus unlamented let me dye;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lye.

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What are your thoughts on this topic?

I am looking forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to leave a message on the blog!
- As always, Thanks for Reading!
Sirisha

PS: Picture borrowed from: http://majo-frog.blogspot.in/2012/07/solitude.html