In Silence

"Quiet the mind, and the soul will speak."

Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati

Quieting the mind can be as complicated as we want to make it.  We can pressure ourselves into months of a rigid practice only to find the monkeys are still making noises in our heads.  If we can distract our mind, there is enough silence for the soul to speak.

In therapy, we may ask a child to color while they talk or an elder to pet an animal as they speak, which enables the mind to be distracted, allowing the wisdom in silence to be heard.  Walking in nature or playing music can serve us as well.  Nature offers just enough of a distraction and music brings the right amount of calm, to allow streams of messages from the inner realms.

At first, we may not understand what we hear, but if we maintain awareness throughout our day, there will be more signs or needed clues.  We seek answers through prayer or contemplation, but then fail to be open for answers differing from our expectations.  The amazing thing about silence is it is consistently present within each of us, just waiting to be heard.