The Joy of Silence

Baba Hari Dass was a sadhu and spiritual teacher from North India who observed the spiritual discipline of “maun” (complete silence). His was not a life of seclusion but rather one of vigorous activity as an author, builder, and joyful teacher. When circumstances demanded, he communicated with a small chalkboard upon which he scribbled cryptic notes, and though his voice was silent, he spoke abundantly with his eyes, expression and bearing, displaying an inner power that attracted all who came into his orbit. Known affectionately as “Babaji” to his disciples, Baba Hari Dass left his body on 25 September, 2018 at the age of 95.  

When I was a young man, new to spiritual practices, I first met Baba Hari Dass in California. I had never encountered anyone such as him although I had heard of yogis who lived in mountain caves, but for someone to intentionally keep silent while engaged in a busy life was something I’d never considered. Intrigued by his example and spiritually eager, I decided to experiment with silence and see what happened.  

My first attempt lasted one day, away from opportunities to speak with others. Encouraged, I then tried practicing in the midst of my day-to-day life but, as you might imagine, that was not so easy. We often don’t notice a habit’s grip upon us until we try to change it and so it was for me. The effort to remain silent in the midst of others made me even more restless than before but nevertheless, I persisted and by the second day, my thoughts had calmed and the desire to mix with others melted away.  For convenience, I pinned a little note onto my shirt that said “Please excuse me, I’m practicing silence today.” At that time of my life, I was fortunate enough to live in an ashram, surrounded by supportive friends, but even in less supportive environments, I found it possible to practice with a little bit of extra effort.

Silence awakened me to how much physical and “psychic” energy is lost through “chatter.” To my surprise, after a day or two of silence, I felt physically energized and needed less sleep. What I had thought so important to share didn’t need to be said at all and no longer did it seem necessary for me to “add my two cents” to every discussion, big or small. An inner relaxation came and I put aside my compulsion to interject my opinion into others’ conversations. Thomas Merton, a Christian mystic, once said, “It is not speaking that breaks our silence, but the anxiety to be heard.” That anxiety well describes the popularity of social media and the ego’s compulsion “to be heard” and assert its existence.  

The deeper purpose of restraining speech is, of course, to nurture an inner stillness of heart, the goal of meditation and the state in which love attains perfection. Saint Augustine reminds us, "Lord, Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in Thee". Inner silence, by calming the heart’s impulse to reach outside of itself, makes possible divine perception. After incarnations of searching elsewhere, we find fulfillment in God’s presence within.

Why not experiment and give silence a try? Here’s a few benefits you may notice after a very short time.

- You will gain control over your emotions, especially anger and criticism.

- Fewer useless thoughts will bother you.

- You will find more time to introspect.

- You will be better able to keep your attention at the spiritual eye.

- Practicing “maun” is a powerful complement to the practice of “Japa”.

- You will learn to listen. In growing silence, God’s whispers are heard.

Look for Opportunities

Years ago, Sadhana Devi and I were asked by Swami Kriyananda to become Directors of an Ananda meditation retreat established on the East Coast of America. That was a big change for us native Californians as we had both been staying at Ananda Village for many years. Naturally, I was curious about our future duties.

A few weeks later, I had the good fortune to sit directly across from Swami Kriyananda at a luncheon. My mind was full of questions about our coming move as I waited for a break in the conversation to ask them.  When it came, I seized my chance. “Swamiji, we’ll be shifting to Rhode Island soon and I’m wondering if you have any advice.  What exactly are we to do?”  With hardly a pause, he looked at me and replied, “Look for opportunities and act on them!”  Saying nothing more, he continued with his meal. 

Over the years I’ve meditated on those words and have discovered layers of meaning within them. Opportunity presents itself every day but how often do we recognize it?  It often comes disguised as challenges and sometimes we find opportunity has been knocking at our door for years but we’ve failed to recognize it.  Often, one man sees his path blocked while another sees the same barriers as a signal to turn left or right.  

I remember an old story of two shoe salesmen who sailed to a foreign land.  Upon disembarking, the first noticed the locals were barefoot as it was the custom in those parts to go without shoes.  He sent a telegram back to his office, “Returning home. No hope for shoe sales here.” The second salesman, noticing the same conditions, immediately wired, “Great opportunity!  Send more shoes immediately!”

The perception of opportunity demands a willingness to look for it as well as an openness of heart and mind to perceive it. The opportunistic man has an ability to see life in fresh, new ways.  Creative inspiration is the product of a developed intuition, the same “sixth sense” through which we experience divinity.  Paramhansa Yogananda defined intuition as the “direct perception of reality,” without the intermediary of the physical senses.  It is the direct fruit of daily meditation and our practice of kriya yoga.  

Let’s be like the second salesman and open our eyes to possibilities. Then act! Don’t be a bystander. An enthusiastic response to whatever life offers will clarify your vision and magnetically draw additional opportunities.  By sensitive receptivity and positive, willing action, success will come.