“When mind is still, then truth gets her chance to be heard in the purity of the silence.” These are the sage words of Sri Aurobindo, a renowned Bengali yogi, guru and anti-colonial freedom fighter during the first half of the 20th Century.
It is an appropriate quote for today’s article, not just because I reside coincidentally in Sri Aurobindo’s ancestral region. He brings into light the notion of 'Silence’. It is a concept that I have become more acquainted with, ever since I was “thrust” a month ago from the urban jungle, my natural ‘creature habitat’, into the depth of the hinterland of rural West Bengal.Unlike my previous homes, Sydney, Canberra, Singapore, Mumbai, New Delhi, Manchester and London to be precise, I can only hear a pin-drop of silence for hours on end in the seemingly endless Bengali fields. No longer do I hear the concoction of city sounds comprising of honking cars intertwining with the footsteps of hundreds of people on the streets. In Ullon Village, on the other hand, my ears may occasionally be exposed to mooing cows; chirping birds; the rare open chatter of the employees in my guesthouse; and an automobile of some sort speeding away on an otherwise quiet nearby road. Otherwise, it is on the most part, silence![caption id="attachment_1637" align="alignnone" width="580"]
Silence seems to be the prevailing 'mantra' of the rural Bengali fields. [/caption]Some fellow urban dwellers, particularly those who adore the hustle and bust of any cosmopolitan city, may find perpetual silence as a painstaking ordeal. For me, such silence prevalent in my immediate residential environs is a blessing. In the mornings and early evenings, I am able to immerse myself in the silence through meditation and conscious contemplation within the guesthouse garden. In the process, I have begun to reflect on my goals and aspirations in life, along with my perceptions on the social, economic, political and spiritual affairs affecting our world today.Consequently, I have been able to have a more still mind in my deep thinking. I have been able to discover the truths of my own life, through the ‘purity of silence’ conveyed by Sri Aurobindo.Perhaps those of us who charge ahead in life in our hectic urban lifestyle need some time to off, now and again, to just slow down and experience the usually neglected silence of our lives. We may ‘(re)discover’ the truths of our own lives, whether they are our goals, ambitions or even personal philosophy on all aspects encompassing our existence.Maybe Sri Aurobindo was onto something. I think he was. Why not now have a moment of silence?
Silence seems to be the prevailing 'mantra' of the rural Bengali fields. [/caption]Some fellow urban dwellers, particularly those who adore the hustle and bust of any cosmopolitan city, may find perpetual silence as a painstaking ordeal. For me, such silence prevalent in my immediate residential environs is a blessing. In the mornings and early evenings, I am able to immerse myself in the silence through meditation and conscious contemplation within the guesthouse garden. In the process, I have begun to reflect on my goals and aspirations in life, along with my perceptions on the social, economic, political and spiritual affairs affecting our world today.Consequently, I have been able to have a more still mind in my deep thinking. I have been able to discover the truths of my own life, through the ‘purity of silence’ conveyed by Sri Aurobindo.Perhaps those of us who charge ahead in life in our hectic urban lifestyle need some time to off, now and again, to just slow down and experience the usually neglected silence of our lives. We may ‘(re)discover’ the truths of our own lives, whether they are our goals, ambitions or even personal philosophy on all aspects encompassing our existence.Maybe Sri Aurobindo was onto something. I think he was. Why not now have a moment of silence?
