It seems only natural that most of us have a difficult time discerning one’s destination early on in life’s travels. It is perhaps even more difficult for us to articulate and speak of who we think we are, or are perceived to be as an individual particularly at a young age. Additionally, it is improbable to expect that in these formative years we could effectively give physical voice to our deeper purpose, where we might desire to go, and which way will we turn to get there.
As we first grow awkwardly into adolescence and gradually with increased strength and beauty into adulthood, our spiritual dimension continues to quietly call upon us for exploration and further growth. Despite this inaudible inner calling, it can seem at times pathetic and even pitiful that due to many loud and conflicting influences we fail to listen. We often choose to proceed in life by mimicking generational examples by withholding our expressiveness and even repressing our emotions. At the very least we mute our feelings and sometimes just cease saying sweet things to each other, a sweetness which we so deserve to speak and hear in return from one another! Why such suppression of expressing our myriad of evolving feelings and thoughts over the ever changing landscape upon which we live and grow while proceeding through many distinct stages of life?
Does our silence represent a form of selective deafness, or might it involve a simple fear of rejection? Can this sustained silence have a contagious effect on us and spread dysfunction to the numbing of our tongues speech? Regardless of any answer, it is apparent from my experiences that a dulling of our senses often occurs during difficult emotional times in our life.
What of these muted feelings, and do the reasons for them have anything to tell us now? Perhaps reasons included a fear of accepting unconditional love as a divine concept that is just too good to believe? Worse yet, is it conceivable that this concept of being unconditionally loved is totally foreign to your life experience? Unbelievable as it is, we know it this can be true.
One might hypothesize that perhaps early on in life we all carry with us some chronic anxiety from those times where we were previously misunderstood or felt unloved. For one instance we are all eventually confronted with confusing societal concepts of romantic love that can lead us to become loves antithesis as attached to, latched onto, and eventually trying to possess one another in the name of love. A simpler explanation for our silences may emit from a perceived risk of speaking up only to remain unheard, and thus feeling invisible and compounding fears of going undetected amidst the world’s louder noises and the bright lights of flashier personalities. Furthermore is it just plain frustration based upon past efforts to successfully communicate, where you dared to courageously share your feelings only to have them appear to go unregistered in another’s unreceptive mind? Such occurrences can indeed be perceived as apathy or even our own unworthiness. This can ultimately leave one feeling uncertain concerning all of the effort to communicate with our fellow beings as maybe just not worth all the bother.
Under the pain of such experience we may logically choose to continue our life by accepting the negative presumption that we will continue to remain largely unseen and unheard in any substantive manner. With lowered expectations our life can move ever so slowly toward a sad and isolated existence by dangerously drifting apart from each other. In a sense we can unwittingly manifest unwanted experiences, and produce the proverbial self-fulfilling prophecy of what we fear the worst, and desire the least in living with a sense of being alone.
At the other end of the spectrum, even our exceptionally gifted and enlightened beings have reported suffering from some sense of self-imposed human isolation for different reasons. In their own growth process, they have expressed painful frustration within their own heightened awareness, a view of the desolate emotional and spiritual landscape prevailing around the globe at this time in human history. Ironically this repetitive cycle actually speaks to our unspoken silence as a sort of emotional black hole that attempts to suck us into the silent darkness. At one time or another we may ask ourselves why even risk any unnecessary efforts at communicating with others? If the frustration of going against the odds appears so poor for real receptivity, let alone any expectation of any meaningful reciprocal responses from our fellow beings, we understandably opt to remain quiet. At such times one could easily relate to NASA’s efforts to quietly listen for other alien beings to respond to our constantly emitting signals out to the universe, that also appear to go unrequited as we endlessly search outer space for any intelligent alien life forms to speak back to us. Our search for answers from these sounds of silence continues!
Despite such searching there remains another more passive practice of silence, and a remnant of our often pathological history. It could be said that our documented history of never ending war has led us to a new dark age for the human spirit, amidst the contrasting advancements of our sacred scientific temples, and the technologies of our progressive times. This modern rhythm we march to is not one of our heart’s rhythmic beatings, but is composed significantly of discordant and distracting sounds from the mind of man. Man made mechanisms constantly in motion, as careening sounds contain escalating decibel levels whose sheer volume creates a different form of deafness. This cacophony of chronically generated noise eliminates the quiet from our spaces and souls, drowning out the sweet sounds of birds signing, while televisions flicker to disguise recognition of those faces we may have come to know.
One might offer an observation that despite increased global literacy and electronic communications in the modern world, we can actually communicate less effectively in spirit than our ancestors of the historical Dark Ages. In the same way that those ancestors could observe the heavens with an easy upward glance, today for instance we must travel to remote regions on the planet to avoid the interference of our world’s bright lights to view our same Milky Way Galaxy. Inasmuch as we are being bombarded by so much news, music, and background noise and blocked views, it appears that we increasingly need to shift the engine in reverse. By backing a bit we might be able to reconnect with each other at a deeper level; call it spirit, soul, emotion, intellect, whatever.
Toward that end, I suggest that on occasion everyone consider pursuing an experience of isolated quiet. Once when going deep into the Nevada desert, and later into the Rocky Mountains I accidentally discovered the deepest quiet space, physically and spiritually. Here for maybe the first time I heard that sound of pure “silence”. Those days it is as if I were in a vacuum, not even a bird or breeze!
Now I know I cannot always find such space daily, but I would recommend everyone pursue this extreme silence at least occasionally. At the very least, try and get as far from away the roads and activity you possibly can. When you seek and find such silence, you may feel it deeply as I did, that being a strange and somewhat staggering void. For me the experience was at first an uncomfortable sensation, or lack of sensation might be a better expression. In this silence however, our soul, our spirits can at last begin to softly speak to us from within ourselves. Again, If you cannot find this ideal experience, try and find your best way to seek out the quiet space and time for visiting your inner self. Even if it requires innovating by using ear plugs in your most private available room at 3 o’clock in the morning, you will likely find it worthwhile, once you get past the initial strangeness of being silent together with your inner spirit. Listen close, for in time it can begin to both comfortable and comforting as silence shares with you life’s deepest truths! Here your heart will hear messages it has been holding for you, resonating beyond words to remind you of what your spirit has always known.
All of these aspects of silence and whatever our current circumstances may be provide all the more reason that we should loosen our tongues to speak our truth. By more freely (not recklessly) expressing our love to each other we can free our culture, our institutions, our families from any shallow pretenses, and help us to strengthen faulty foundations before they collapse upon us.
The continued stress of present day circumstances upon ourselves, our institutional structures and, our respective cultures can potentially trap us in even more trouble. If we are not careful, this environment can result in unnecessary destruction that exponentially grows from our artificial sense of separation. Silence and poor communications and communion with our fellow beings does not serve our situation, as the time to talk as a human family has arrived.
It does seem to me that many individuals are communicating with a greater awareness of our connection together. In this light these fellow beings are now increasingly daring to express themselves to us with refreshing droplets of authentic affection. As these drops ripple outwardly they expansively spread a healthy love for each other now streaming into the living rivers of our lives, thus flowing into the collective ocean of our common reconnection. Such currents begin drawing us back together into powerful waves of our extraordinary shared destiny. Let us then consider making a joyful noise and voicing our voices, and listen as the resulting sound waves echo our resounding love around the world and the entire universe.
In attempting to acknowledge and demonstrate our uncommon union as sons and daughters of the one creator (or universal intelligence if you prefer), we can begin to dive deeply into our pooled divinity. By listening to each other and then speaking thoughtfully we may again move ever forward, being intuitively led to immerse ourselves into the life giving waters of a wholly celestial and baptismal remembrance of our singular origin.
In these waves we hear the breaking of silence, and perhaps are reminded of the sound of our most primal universal calling, part of which is no doubt to remember we are on a true loving mission, alongside the essential awareness and joy of our just being! If our memory of a divine origin is but recognized, there would no longer be any reason for further postponement of expressing our all loving nature and our mutual salvation with each other. From a background of darkness and the quiet of silence, are perfect conditions for the revealing of our own salvation.
Emblematic of creating our elusive salvation was that giant leap for mankind marked by that first lunar landing, as astronauts looked down upon planet earth with a new global perspective. Now is humanity’s glowing hour of opportunity, daring to take those first strokes to swim in our own sea of tranquility, guided by the moonlight’s pull and light so beneficially reflecting upon our world. As part of everyone’s personal individual journey, we each courageously step into this current of our collective world, as we observe our further evolving at this moment in human history.
In this context it is noteworthy that most religious and spiritual traditions still express a long overdue hope for peace and a brotherhood / sisterhood in reuniting our entire human family. Yes this is true despite the tragic contradictions of history recording so many religious wars and self righteous intolerance left behind to tarnish any good intentions. Yet now is a new time, a new opportunity for us, our countries cultures, and any institutions that we may or may not be personally associated with.
Let me slow down, for it is easy to want to leap frog over the tough realities of my early life and the modern times and circumstances we live with today. I wish to address many of our challenges within the current paradigms of our world powers at this time in history, and how true healing is often relegated to occur outside these powerful structures and flawed foundations within which humanity still lives with. It may actually be more accurate to refer to the world’s institutional powers as powerless in respect to reigning in war and the horror of our present day circumstances to assist humanity’s healing. Our present paradigms fail to understand the nature of our divinity and thereby limit our ability to an ultimate understanding of our connectivity with one another. My point regarding all our institutions is not at all cynical, it is merely an observation that such basic problems as war, hunger, disease, energy and pollution continue to pick up speed and plague us with their repetitive cycles. This growing calamity begs us to ask the age old question (and in a way serves as a sort of litmus test for insanity), Why do we expect new results by using old remedies that have not produced positive results in the past?
Based upon the experiences of my own journey, I believe that all of our legitimate hopes and realistic sense of true optimism in the future resides in each individual’s innate creative power. I have slowly come to an awareness that such power resides individually within us all, even amidst the devastation we see both near to our own homes, communities, and in distant locations around our globe. In contrasting individual versus institutional power, it can also be said that politicians are indeed only a mirror of the populace. Specifically, my point is that the degree to which truly historic change takes place happens only when a critical mass of the populace makes their convictions and insights publicly known. When this shift occurs in enough individuals, those holding positions of power can then feel safe in making the necessary societal changes.
It is at such historical crossroads when politicians slowly begin to claim initiatives for change as their own ideas to champion. American civil rights is a good example. In the 1950’s very few political leaders felt enough popular support to risk their own careers by changing the status quo. Less than 10 years later enough public awareness and pressure existed to dare to move beyond previously held understandings and long held convictions on individual freedoms. Other 20th century examples include Mahatma Gandhi’s exceptional leadership that inspired and ultimately empowered so many citizens to courageously express themselves and ultimately freeing themselves from colonial rule. Similarly the contributions of many courageous leaders of the women’s suffragette movement cannot be overstated in expanding freedom and liberty for the whole of humankind. I would add the observation of so many, that the continued imbalance of female leadership and mutual respect between genders remains a grave concern for the future health of our world.
These examples help us understand that such “Tipping Points” in human history can only occur when individual consciousness reaches a critical level that the collective whole can positively utilize to help move all of us forward together. Such concepts are captured well in the American Declaration of Independence and a Constitution emphasizing the balance of power and vigilant citizen responsibility as critical to liberty. Here is where people should sense a real reason for optimism, if they but understand that these historic shifts in our progress originates not from one leader, but from each individual taking responsibility for their thoughts, actions, beliefs etc. Only then can we the people change and fulfill our declaration and live out that we are indeed all created equal. Let us now examine this dynamic further.
3} Quiet Revelations: Individual healing is linked to our growing collective consciousness.
At this point I feel the need to refocus that these writings are not intended to cast any judgments or criticize any one institution or individual, especially with the benefit of hindsight. So it is these inspirations are NOT utilized to condemn anyone, as our purpose is only to help us better comprehend our shared histories, and gain perspective in respecting the legitimate feelings of diverse viewpoints. Careful listening to such opposing viewpoints can potentially leads us to greater understanding, since one person’s truth does not discount or discard another person’s experience of an equally opposite truth. (I.e. detailing the scientific value of the North Pole does not devalue or invalidate the significance of the South Pole in supporting our planet and life all over the globe.)
At this point I ask your patient indulgence to trust that our text will unfold to more clearly demonstrate how our own healing and personal power can also help improve the collective health of all. This understanding will help shift our world in important new directions that will benefit all humanity in the generations that follow us. Continuing on with sharing these simple writings, stories, and poems; it bears repeating that these do not represent an attempt to advance some new religious, political, or philosophical movement. They are offered as pragmatic observations that should have equally inclusive appeal to the artist, academic, scientist, spiritualist, politician, religious leader, or even the professed agnostic and atheist alike. That is of course, if one will read with a sense of openness to at least understand new perspectives with which you may not agree. Here lies the hope for new and positive solutions.
It is in first healing ourselves that we can then quite naturally speak our truth openly to the world so that we may all share our wisdom together. So it is we will begin to heal together. May we now go forward to try and speak our hearts truth more effectively with each other.
