Sometimes it comes upon us in an instant; not so much an absence of sound but an awareness of complete stillness. It is then incumbent upon us to enter into the bliss of that awareness. It is then that all else means little or nothing. It is then that for a few fleeting seconds we are transported to the realm of otherness…the bliss of stillness. Happy Saturday
When we hear the sound of silence it is imperative to stop and listen. It comes in the form of stillness. It comes to everyone at one time or another; the key is to be aware and allow it to unfold.
Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves together; that at length they may emerge, full-formed and majestic, into the delight of life, which they are thenceforth to rule. Thomas Carlyle
Mother Theresa said: “The most important thing is silence. We cannot place ourselves directly in God’s presence without imposing upon ourselves interior and exterior silence.”
And Simon and Garfunkel had this to say about the Sound of Silence. Happy Saturday.
Sitting for too long is not good for us. Body parts can seize up and movement becomes slower and perhaps a little more difficult.
This made me think of my poor car. It has been sitting in the garage for six weeks with only one five-minute outing in all that time. I thought of all the fluids a car needs to use to keep it mobile. Mine was not using its fluids at all. I thought of the brakes…would they seize up after all that sitting? I thought of the tires; would they flatten with the weight of the auto body sitting on them all that time without movement?
Feeling a little guilty, I took my car out for some exercise yesterday. The brakes groaned their thanks, the tires happily hummed along the roads, and the gas tank gurgled its pleasure. All the other fluids silently came to life doing their singular jobs of keeping their vehicle running smoothly. I was particularly proud of the engine; it did not balk once at being called into action after a six week hiatus.
For sure it was an exercise in movement for the car as well as me. I got to lift my foot on and off the gas pedal and brake, shift my torso in and out of the vehicle, flick my fingers over the signals, and my hands and arms engaged in steering a thirty-three-hundred or so hunk of metal around bends and curves.
That was yesterday. Today my car and I will go back to sitting. Happy Saturday.
There is a fresh blanket of snow covering the ground and deck at the back of my house. This in itself is not surprising in winter. What’s different this morning is that there is neither bird nor squirrel in sight. Usually I wake up to squirrels chasing each other all over the place and birds flocking to the feeder. But there is not a single sign of these creatures. The snow is eerily undisturbed and the air is remarkably still. I slowly realize that I am missing what I have always taken for granted. I wonder where they are. Happy Saturday.
Look at these two words and discover what they have in common…listen…silent. Happy Sunday.
In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.
Isaiah 30:15
I just learned of a new way to meditate…sit still and smile. Today’s quote will help you do just that. Happy Saturday.
Stop! Right now, stop what you are doing and be still if only for just a few seconds…give in to the stillness.
In spite of any chaos around you or in you, give in to being still for this moment in time. Try to make this a habit, and eventually, at any time of the day or night while in the moment, a thought will occur about your life, the world, a problem; anything that has been robbing you of peace and serenity, and the brief respite will infuse you with hope, insight, and a new perspective.
Whenever possible, be silent and listen. Notice how these two words use the exact same letters to fulfill each other…be silent and listen.
In this moment in time hear what God says in Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.
For now, carry on…the rest of your day is waiting to be lived.
Oftentimes when I open the door to outside there is an air of stillness and silence. I love that “sound” and feeling. It is all enveloping. It happened this morning while feeding the birds and squirrels…my backyard world was hushed, and I basked in it for several minutes.
Similarly indoors sometimes. When I choose to eliminate television and radio, and between the furnace cycles and telephone rings, my house is sometimes so quiet I can hear the spiders walk.
Isaiah 30:15 says in part…in quietness and trust is your strength…
Absorb the stillness when it comes, it’s extremely good for the soul.
My Precious Life 