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Revision as of 07:53, 12 November 2018
Read more about Mental Silence from the works of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo. |
Mental Silence Summary
Introduction
What is Mental Silence?
The Mind
The mind is like water in an ocean. Waves, ripples and currents are akin to the thoughts and their intensity. Impurities can be mixed into it and they can also be removed. The mind is a substance which can accommodate various movements and objects but is not a movement or an object by itself. However, the identity of oneself is a large object in each person’s mind.
Mental Silence
...that state of constant vibration may be .. harmful to the exact reflection or reception of the descending Truth ... for these vibrations are the source of a mentalisation which can diminish or distort the authenticity of the higher Truth or break it up into mental refractions. When I speak of a still mind, I mean then one in which these subtler disturbances too are no longer there.
Practising Mental Silence
Silently witnessing one’s own thoughts without analysis, judgement or emotion is the beginning of practising mental silence.
Keeping the Mind Calm
Mental silence is a certain calmness. This does not necessarily mean that there are no thoughts; it means that regardless of the number, frequency and intensity of thoughts, the mind-substance remains peaceful. The key to keeping the mind calm is treating thoughts as a temporary guest in the mind, and not to prevent these surface thoughts from entering or eliminating inner thoughts of clarity, light and deeper aspiration.
Feeling Peaceful
Peace and mental silence go hand-in-hand. Mental silence is not a state in which one feels empty and devoid of thoughts. On the contrary, mental silence comes about when peace as a substance enters one’s mind from higher planes. In this solid peace, one is unperturbed by the coming and going of thoughts, as at the maximum they scratch the surface of the rock-solid peace.
Widening
Sri Aurobindo says “The wider your consciousness becomes, the more you will be able to receive from above. The Shakti will be able to descend and bring strength and light as well as peace into the system. What you feel as narrow and limited in you is the physical mind; it can only widen if this wider consciousness and the light come down and possess the nature.”
Benefits
Problem-Solving
The Mother says “When one has learned to silence the mind at will and to concentrate it in receptive silence, then there will be no problem that cannot be solved, no mental difficulty whose solution cannot be found.”
Guidance for One’s Actions
A blank slate is one that is ready to be written on. Both knowledge and its usage can descend into one’s mind when one removes the noise. This can guide in decision-making, the direction of efforts and everyday actions.
Gaining Insights
When one is in receptive silence, revelations can occur. These might be personal or pertaining to something for which one is seeking answers. These insights can deepen one’s understanding of a particular topic.
Emotional Issues
The intensity of the emotions felt is greatly reduced since one is not personalising an experience or situation. With practice that is integrated into everyday life, handling conflicts, relationship issues, crises and other triggers that can impact emotions can be made easier. At the same time, one becomes an instrument for a greater Force, Love, Will and Delight to course through, in a calm state and act on the world.
Conclusion
Content curated by Nandita Shyamsundar
Read more about Mental Silence from the works of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo. |