The Healing Power of Silence: Returning to the Stillness Within
The Noise of Modern Life
Our towns and cities buzz with constant motion and endless noise. Cars dominate our streets, technology infiltrates our routines, and time seems to dictate every move. In this whirlwind of activity, people hurry from task to task, often with little time for meaningful connection. To escape the pressure, many turn to even more activity, mistakenly thinking it will bring relief. Yet, this only deepens our distraction and heightens our internal unrest.
Eventually, however, something deeper calls us back. It begins as a subtle longing for stillness, a pull toward simplicity. This call leads us to rediscover a source of strength and peace that lies not in noise, but in silence.
Embracing the Power of Silence
Silence is not emptiness. It is the ground of creation, the space from which true creativity arises. Just as a composer values the space between notes and an artist begins with a blank canvas, silence plays an essential role in every act of creation. Within our lives, it serves as the foundation of clarity, peace, and self-awareness.
At the center of each of us is a quiet place, untouched by external noise or internal chatter. Like the still axis of a turning wheel or the calm eye of a storm, this inner stillness anchors us. When we reconnect with this space, we remember our original state—peaceful, eternal, and simply present.
Breaking Free from Illusion
Many speak of a spiritual journey or a path of self-realization. Others argue that there is no journey at all because our essence never leaves its source. In truth, we are always here, always being. It only seems otherwise when we lose touch with our inner stillness and mistake ourselves for something external—a role, an image, or a belief.
In doing so, we move further from the peace at our core. We chase horizontal goals in the world or climb vertical ladders of ambition, only to find ourselves weary and disconnected. But the still point we seek is never far. It exists within us, always just one breath and one moment away.
Gaining Perspective and Letting Go
Our perceptions, shaped by societal fears and illusions, cloud our vision. We start to believe that life is dangerous, that others are threats, that time is scarce. These beliefs distort our thinking, leading to fear, blame, judgment, and striving. Yet they are just passing clouds, and we are the sun.
When we step back into our inner stillness, these illusions begin to dissolve. We no longer identify with fleeting thoughts or emotions. We see them for what they are—temporary disturbances in the vast sky of our consciousness. From this space, clarity, compassion, and deep peace naturally emerge.
Returning to Presence
Sitting in silence brings the world into new perspective. We stop projecting our lives into an imagined future and begin to inhabit the fullness of the present. In doing so, we discover that the moment is always enough. We see that everything is unfolding just as it should.
From this awareness, our actions are no longer driven by fear or ambition. Instead, they arise from a place of peace and purpose. We respond rather than react. We listen deeply. We connect sincerely.
The Practice of Silence
You are already the still point you seek. You never left it. But until you fully realize this truth, practice can help.
The Exercise:
Find a quiet place. Sit comfortably. Watch your thoughts come and go like clouds. Notice the gaps between them. Rest your awareness in those gaps. Allow the silence to expand. Feel yourself merging with it. Notice the stillness that is always there. Notice how time fades. You are not doing. You are simply being.
Welcome home.
Question: What is the difference between being and doing?
Reflection: Nothing real changes—true or false?
Action: Spend three minutes twice a day this week observing the silence between your thoughts. Just watch. Just be.
Written by our professor Mike George.
