Enough with such questions!

Let silence take you to the core of life.

All your talk is worthless

When compared to one whisper

of the Beloved.

~ Jalal ad-Din Rumi,One Whisper of the Beloved

People speak about living in the present as an ideal state of consciousness. Yet, to live and enjoy each moment we first have to be full, otherwise it is the nature of the mind to wonder some place or another. It might be real needs or just unnecessary thoughts that keep ringing inside.

What then makes us full? What gives us a permanent sense of satisfaction, stability and self-dignity?

Qualities, virtues and spiritual experiences are not only the means for replenishing the inner self but also the basis of a harmonious life.

There is an Indian saying about a full bucket being able to resist the strongest storms, as opposed to an empty one, carried away by the slightest winds.

Many years ago, when I was beginning to meditate regularly, I went to a friend’s house. When you get used to soul consciousness, you become more sensitive to the vibrations of places and people. It is almost like you can “catch moods” in the atmosphere.

That friend was a quantum physics professor and a disciplined Zen meditator. Because of his genuine dedication, his meditation room was already filled with vibrations of silence. The atmosphere was already there, and so it was easier for concentration and meditation to take its course. Back home that evening I was curious and tried to figure it out.

I used to have the experience of silence in my own practice, so what was the difference in what I experienced?

I opened my notebook randomly and read a few lines on silence. It immediately dawned on me that what I had just experienced was emptiness, which is a healthy cleaning up of the mind and the vibrations released by that state. It was also clear that I was used to a different kind of silence.

Usually I sit in meditation knowing how I feel internally and often with the aim of experiencing whatever I am lacking at that moment. If I am restless or tired I will go for peace and calm; if I feel a bit down for some reason I will set my thoughts on understanding and a happier mood; and so on.

But underlying these experiences is always something extra, for in those minutes that my mind finally gets merged into stillness, a sweet energy has already surrounded me. It is at this point that I can deeply feel the embracing warmth, the lovely feeling of fulfillment that emerges with the gift of God’s invisible presence.

From that day on, I could understand what ancient Indian culture meant by fullness or plenitude, and the meanings of symbols, like the full moon, which are but signs of spiritual attainments.

It was a beautiful way of learning.

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Asst. Editor: Kristina Peterson/Editor:Bryonie Wise