Reaching home after a long day’s work, do you request children and others to leave you with a few minutes of silence? Or when there is an argument or when we are in a noisy place, do you wish for moments of silence?
But even when we sit in silence, does the mind often make ‘noise’ by way of thoughts of the whole day – of worry, judgment, fear, pain or anger? It is very rare that it creates pleasant and peaceful thoughts that relaxes us. In those moments we realize that staying quiet is not the solution. The solution is to make our mind silent.
We play our roles in this physical world through the medium of communication. But our original state is one of inner silence. Life feels pleasant when the mind learns to think slow and right. A silent mind creates fewer and purer thoughts so we experience contentment and peace.
Our original home is the Soul World (called Param Dham or Incorporeal world). In this world because there are no elements we do not have bodies, and we don’t even have thoughts. We are tiny sparkling point of light or energy. We live there quietly in the presence of God as peaceful souls. Even today we find inner and outer silence very soothing because it connects us at a deeper level to our original form. As we the soul comes down into the physical world and take a body to play different roles, we come into action and interaction. Over thousands of years the mind gets fed with information, beliefs and experiences. It creates thoughts while we are awake … even when asleep. When thoughts clutter the mind, we find it harder to silence it although that is when we long to emerge our power of silence.
THE INNER SANCTUARY OF SILENCE
The saying goes “Well begun is half done”. We were taught to begin any task with one minute’s silence – silence after waking up, before having meals, before studying, before taking important decisions. It was an inner preparation for the mind to calm down and to focus. Silence was also to connect to God and invoke His powers. Inner silence provides a powerful start.
But often we do not silence the mind before making important beginnings. If the mind is not calm enough, it creates wrong thoughts unknowingly, based on past experiences – “There will be so much traffic, will I reach on time? How will this exam go, last time I did not fare well… then this will happen, that will happen…” Our negative vibrations radiate to the scene. The weak beginning may affect success.
A silent state of mind does not mean zero thoughts. It means we can create necessary, elevated and right thoughts. Necessary means thoughts of day-to-day actions. Right or elevated thoughts means pure and powerful thoughts based on original soul qualities of peace and wisdom. Silence not only increases efficiency but also keeps us mentally strong. A mind which is concentrated and silent thinks clearly so intellect can make correct decisions. The body keeps physically healthy when our mind is healthy. Relationships will also be loveful and free from conflicts.
Many of us go on retreats to recharge the inner Self. We enjoy the ambiance of a quieter atmosphere there. The positive effects of the retreat last for few days. But let us remember that within ourselves is a stillness, a sanctuary to retreat at anytime, anywhere for a few minutes through Rajyoga meditation. We withdraw from the situation and emotion, focus on thoughts, connect to God, emerge original sanskars and return to the situation with power and stability.
“I am a pure soul. My every thought and word are clean. No indirect messages, no hidden motives. I radiate respect to every soul. Purity is my gift to everyone I meet today. I understand that people I meet today will have different sanskars. I accept each one as they are … accept each one.”
Practicing this mantra every hour and then bringing it into behaviour, will align our thoughts with our words and actions.
–Sister BK Shivani – Motivational Speaker of Brahma Kumaris