Silence is the language of the soul. We are so caught up in our harried daily lives that mental stillness is a concept that completely eludes us. A prelude to it is the ability to be aware of ourselves. Most of the time, we are unaware of what our bodies and minds are up to. We stagger through life in a drunken stupor completely devoid of any understanding of how and why we think, move, and act.
For a brief period while we are learning a new activity, we become aware of our bodies, thoughts and actions. There is great joy then. During this period, we are masters of our bodies and minds. We appreciate the feeling of being alive. Once our interest fades however we too fade away into a haze putting ourselves in a sort of autopilot. While such a system is perfectly capable of functioning, it lacks joy or zest for life. We do not pay attention to the details. Memory fades. Days float by and if we are asked of their content we are bewildered by our inability to recollect. We cannot remember because we were not aware. Do we want to live our lives like this?
Some people respond to this situation by changing their line of work often so that at least during that brief window of learning before the new work is mastered, they possess the joy of life. This is also the reason that most people start off any task brilliantly but as time goes on mediocrity again becomes the norm as awareness is lost and the cycle is repeated. Others who are incapable of changing their jobs try to change their wives or houses or bring in any new activity that can serve to hold their attention. A few others will always cruise through life unaware and are labeled depressed. In fact depression has in our century reached endemic proportions.
For a brief period while we are learning a new activity, we become aware of our bodies, thoughts and actions. There is great joy then. During this period, we are masters of our bodies and minds. We appreciate the feeling of being alive. Once our interest fades however we too fade away into a haze putting ourselves in a sort of autopilot. While such a system is perfectly capable of functioning, it lacks joy or zest for life. We do not pay attention to the details. Memory fades. Days float by and if we are asked of their content we are bewildered by our inability to recollect. We cannot remember because we were not aware. Do we want to live our lives like this?
Some people respond to this situation by changing their line of work often so that at least during that brief window of learning before the new work is mastered, they possess the joy of life. This is also the reason that most people start off any task brilliantly but as time goes on mediocrity again becomes the norm as awareness is lost and the cycle is repeated. Others who are incapable of changing their jobs try to change their wives or houses or bring in any new activity that can serve to hold their attention. A few others will always cruise through life unaware and are labeled depressed. In fact depression has in our century reached endemic proportions.
All these are quick fixes as they do not get to the root of the problem which is unawareness. It is like trying to blame the scenery for the poor view when the binoculars are damaged. Once a good pair of lens is put in, the beauty of the scenery can be captured. Similarly when we become aware and learn to hold our awareness, even mundane activities can thrill us and life becomes blessed. Continued awareness will eventually give us the power to choose the content of our thoughts and the state of our minds. We can even steer our minds to complete rest and in those moments of clarity and stillness enjoy the music of the soul.
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