he Value of Silence Silence is a source of great strength. Most of us do not like silence, because it does force us to confront ourselves. In fact, it is sometimes about what we find staring back at us that we term as emptiness. We are also fearful of silence, because we do equate silence with insignificance. We want to be heard and seen too. We want to definitely make ourselves relevant. We want to then be somebody in the eyes of others. Do note that the innate desire to make ourselves feel relevant can be very strong. However, in our quest to be heard, noticed and thought well of by others we are often drown out of our inner voice. We are constantly in search of something we already do have. We already have everything we truly do need within us. The peace we seek is not out there somewhere for us to view. It is in the here and now, in this moment, that is totally within us.
Now that is a crucial step forward: If you want to deeply know yourself, do turn off the T.V., the radio, the internet and mostly importantly the congruent running dialogue in your head. Then head to a quiet place and spend time alone. This is where you will meet yourself. This is where you will learn what is truly important to you. While sitting in silence we can hear and see things we otherwise would not, and then our desires do become few and simple. We move on to find our inner voice of contentment and then realize that we are already everything we need to be. Silence helps go back to a place of rest and clarity within us, totally away from the noise of the world.
What is important is to guard this space that you have within you in your day-to-day schedule. It is far more important than anything you do, because it is from there that you will find the strength, purpose and more so self-composure to be a better person for yourself and more so for others. Please do incorporate the following in your daily routine that is while sleeping, brushing your teeth, eating, going to work and then exercising, we need time for silence in our day. We totally need time in our day towards cultivating silence so we can bring it with us into our day-to-day actions and eventually live with a sense of peace, even in the midst of stressful circumstances. Silence is not empty, it is full of answers.
About the author
Trishna Patnaik is a BSc (in life sciences) and MBA (in marketing) by qualification but an artist by choice. Previously a corporate professional, she realised that she wanted to do something more meaningful. She found her true calling in her passion, painting. Trishna is now a full-time professional painter based in Mumbai, as well as an art therapist and healer.