Is Silence Golden?

Having been an extrovert and a chatterbox all my life, losing my voice is quite a dilemma. As long as I know it is for a few days, its fine. The funny part is, the moment someone finds out you can’t talk…… they stop talking! Hey, come on, I’ve done monologue conversations many times, but people find it challenging.

Silence.

What is so golden about it? I guess, because you can actually think straight. That is such a discovery. So many writers (including me) write at night. It is not the night. It’s the silence of the night which helps your flow of thoughts.

If you’ve read ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ or seen the movie with Julia Roberts, you’ll know how the girl goes to an ashram in India. They make her sweep the floors, and remain silent as part of the detoxing process for the body, mind and emotions – all exercises to gain inner peace and happiness.

By the way, what was Buddha doing sitting under the tree? – Enjoying the silence, of course.

It really works.

No wonder, that Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) would go off to the cave of Hira, to spend a few days there. That was where he got his first ‘Wahi’ – message from Allah. Angel Gabrial came to him when he knew he would get his whole attention. I guess, its in silence that one is closest to one’s own innermost thoughts.

It feels great.

I’ve realized, a lot of the havoc in my life is actually caused by me. Without my voice, and speech, there is so much more peace. – even if I have to say it. All that interaction is what makes your own focus distracted. You are too busy talking to others, or listening to their responses, and forget what you have been planning to do.

My father came to me “Get well soon, the whole house seems strange without your voice!” Yes, I’m the one who is busy shaking things up everywhere. None of that can be done without my voice! However, I’ve got my sign language and writing skill and home-management charts, to point at. I’ve started croaking now, my maids said “we are so happy your voice is back…” while I was admonishing them about their cleaning…!

But the timing was such, that I had to realize it was straight from my God. I know it was the relentless stress of so many good things happening in my life too, (I refuse to think of the bad ones!). But it was from Allah. I mean He could have given me a fever instead. No. He gave me the virtue of …. Silence.

I needed to ponder. He saw, there was no other way to make me be silent. So, He did it. I remember He did it several times in History to His chosen prophets and people. Like Zakaria couldn’t speak for three days, when Allah decided to bless him with a child from his old wife. He said, ‘what will I say to people?”  He was to remain silent. Let the events speak for themselves. Well, no child coming to this old lady right now. But you know what I mean.

There are times in life, when silence is your best remedy. I suppose that is why, when a person is in ‘shock’ they can’t speak. Its to grasp an unpredictable situation. To detach from the immediate surrounding and people, to help one focus. Is that why?

I’ve also realized, sometimes, speaking is just a waste of time and energy. (You might not believe it, when you meet me next…) I cannot imagine not speaking when I can. But sometimes it is right to do so. Let things be. Now, let me think in how many ways is silence good….. Lets see:

1. When one is angry – (which is the hardest thing to do.)
2. When one is upset. Wait till you sort out your thoughts, then speak!
3. When in pain.
4. With mother-in-law, unless you want to praise her.
5. When speaking about anyone to anyone else.
6. Giving time to the other person to think…
7. Giving time to yourself to improve your mood before speaking.
8. When in grief.
9. When in deep happiness…. Just absorb that beautiful feeling.
10. When praying.
11. Dr. Wyne Dyer (may God bless him in heaven), said that when you are silent, you are with God. Certainly, in silence, your awareness of presence of Allah increases.
12. Meditation.
13. When you are silent, ideas come to you.
14. In silence you understand what is being said to you. Your understanding, grip and comprehension of the topic at hand is sharper.
15. It is also important to be silent and keep your mind free of thoughts.
16. Even more important is that when you are thinking in silence, let them be only positive or happy thoughts.
17. Tell yourself to ‘stop’ the moment the thoughts take a depressing or negative role. If it doesn’t work, get up and change your situation.
18. When walking in silence outdoors, avoid putting earphones and music or anything ‘on’. Just absorb the sights and sounds of nature.
19. I guess, I need to stop feeling guilty of being silent in other people’s presence.
20. Its ok. Like a couple who has been married many years. They fall into silence, as they ‘know’ how and what the other person is feeling or wanting to say.

Stay blessed my dear reader.  Do, tell me what you think of this silence business? Or you plan to be silent about it? 🙂