The Experience of Silence
Once the disciple,Bhaskali, approached his guru, Bhava, and asked him where that eternal, supreme, infinite, Brahman of the Upanishads was. The master spoke not. The disciple asked him again and again, but the master did not open his mouth. He kept perfect silence. The disciple insisted and asked him again and again, but, in spite of it, the master didn’t answer, abiding in his quietness.Only much later, the teacher said: “I have been telling you again and again, but you do not understand me. What am I to do? That Brahman (or God), the Infinite, the Eternal, cannot be explained. But, by deep silence only, can it be known. There is no other place for Him to dwell in but the one, eternal, deep Silence of the Supreme Self (Atman). AhamAtmaShantah. This Atman is Silence.”
God or Brahman is supreme silence. Soul is silence. Peace of mind is silence. Silence is the deep language of the heart. And because of this it is the language of the wise sage. Silence is immense strength. Silence is great eloquence.
Silence is the substratum of this body, mind, prana and senses. Silence is the background for this sense-universe. Silence is power. Silence is the only reality. The peace that passeth all understanding is Silence. The goal of your life is Silence. The purpose of your existence is Silence. Behind all noises and sounds is Silence – your innermost soul. Silence is your real name. Silence helps the intuitional self to express itself. To go into the Silence is to become one with God.
The message of the desert Sahara is Silence. The message of the Himalayas is Silence. The of the avadhoota who lives stark naked at the icy Gangotri or Kailash is Silence. When the heart is full, when you get overjoyed, there is Silence. Who can describe the glory of this Silence?
There is no healing balm better than Silence for those persons who have a wounded heart from failures, disappointments and losses. There is no soothing panacea better than Silence for those who have wounded nerves from the turmoil of life, from friction, rupture, and frequent domestic quarrels.
In deep sleep, you are in close touch with this stupendous Silence, but there is the veil of avidya or primal nescience. The Silence that you enjoy during deep sleep and the Silence that you experience at dead of night give the clue to the existence of that ocean of Silence or Brahman. By Yoga professor Gregorian Bivolaru