What do you think about darkness and silence?

How do darkness and silence make you feel? Many people may feel scared of it or uncomfortable. It may depend on our experience with it. If I think about it, nights in nature come to mind under a sky full of stars, which is pleasant. If you get used to the silence, you will slowly discover there is a lot of noise in the darkness. You will hear a gentle breeze playing with the leaves of a tree. Not everybody can hear it. But people who meditate learn to listen to the silence.

Another guest post by our friend Ryan Biddulph. He shares his experience with Darkness and Silence.  Thank you, Ryan.

Have You Ever Thought of Darkness and Silence in this Way?

A massive tree knocked out power to our neighborhood about 17 hours ago.

My wife and I have been living mostly in silence for the past 17 hours. No internet. I barely used my phone, save to upload a video. After 2 PM the house became dark. No street lights, no indoor lighting, and stormy conditions made for the conditions. As I write these words at 9 PM, everything is pitch black. Darkness rocks. Silence rocks.

Noise creates illusions. Silence brings truth. – Maxime Lagacé

But human beings cling to deep fears of both darkness and silence.

Why?

People fear darkness because people fear the unknown. Who knows what lurks in darkness? Being in darkness makes it tough to walk. One can easily trip or stumble in pitch black conditions. People fear silence because sitting in silence allows you to hear your thoughts and feelings as your thoughts and feelings really are.

Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win. – Stephen King

I experienced peace of mind today.  Also, I experienced maddening chatter and severe neck stiffness during my meditation session. I felt as if I was going mad.

Humans who fear darkness and silence fear liberation. Humans who fear darkness and silence fear establishing peace of mind, compassion, empathy, clarity, and serenity to advanced levels.

Why?

Every enlightened being became enlightened in large part by sitting in darkness and silence. Enlightened beings spend decades meditating to become enlightened, in most cases. Meditating involves closing your eyes (darkness) to observe your thoughts and feelings in silence. Closing your eyes scares people because few enjoy being in the dark.

People feel lost in the dark. And people feel threatened in the dark. People feel vulnerable in the dark. But enlightened souls experience bliss, serenity, pure love, and complete liberation by spending 1000’s hours meditating in darkness.

Being in silence scares folks. Humans deeply fear the maddening hum of their thoughts and feelings, pounding away like a jackhammer on their consciousness. I just wanted the stiffness, pain and mental torture to stop during my morning meditation.

Morning Meditation

Sitting, observing, and BEING with these thoughts and feelings makes for an agitating, maddening experience. Most people end their meditation session the moment mental madness and bodily pain ensues. Serene individuals understand one only finds silence, peace, and poise in moments of sitting with and observing noise, chaos, and panic.

After meditating, my neck slowly but surely felt better. I released some tension by observing the tension during my session. My mind seemed to be more silent. Stillness increased in my being.

I waited for 35 minutes to pick up Chinese food. 15 people stood in line before me; the workers seem overwhelmed. I felt palpable tension, impatience, and agitation in fellow human beings but the stillness I brought with me prevented me from judging them or from becoming impatient myself.

No downsides exist to spend increased periods of time in darkness and silence.

But overcoming your fear of darkness and silence feels scary. Expect to be uncomfortable during meditation sessions, here and there. Sit with your eyes closed. Get comfortable being in darkness. Lock the door. Create an environment of silence.

No one becomes serene by avoiding their chaotic thoughts and feelings. Achieving stillness within involves observing the turmoil within, to purge chaotic energies from your being.

I said to my soul, be still, and wait…So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing.  – T.S. Eliot

Sit with your fear of darkness. Close your eyes. Turn off the lights. Turn off the internet. Shut off the TV. Be.

Observe your mind as it really is. Sit in darkness and silence to be free of every problem you created in your mind, in the first place.

In the silence behind what can be heard lies the answers we have been searching for for so long.- Andreas Fransson

About the Author

Ryan Biddulph inspires you to live your dreams at Blogging From Paradise.

Do you need more peace in your life?

Buy my eBook: 25 Tips to Develop Peace in Your Life

Read also Meditation Against Fear 

Start to meditate, so you learn to listen to the silence in the darkness.

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