Wisdom grows in silence

Loud is the language of power, and quiet is the language of wisdom. I remember joining a 10 day course on silent meditation organized by Swami Rama's international organization. Swami Rama was a great yogi who traveled to the US in early 1950s where he set up a training center that still flourishes in Pennsylvania. When he visited, nobody knew much about the power of yoga on the human body and mind. He proved clinically that you could control your autonomic system such as heart rate, blood pressure and so on and at the request of doctors, demonstrated this under a lab setting. They were convinced, became his followers, and started a now renowned organization in Swami Rama's name, which has training centers all over the world. I trained at the center in Rishikesh, India where we stayed in separate cottages on a beautiful campus. It was set in the mountains and surrounded with greenery and deep silence - broken only by the chirping of birds. The beautiful sights of sunrise and sunset opened the horizon of our mind to eternity. From early morning to 9pm at night we had a packed schedule of yoga and meditation classes (3 times a day). We had our breakfast and meals together in a common dinning hall that was silent. We greeted each other with a warm smile, and with folded hands - the Indian gesture of namaste but without uttering a word. On the eleventh day in the morning, we all came to the main meditation hall and were asked by our teachers to express our individual experiences. These experience, when verbalized, were deep and life changing. We all know that the verbal language is the vehicle through which we express our inner experiences and thoughts. When one learns to be calm, peaceful and compassionate, then their verbal expressions becomes pleasant, meaningful, and effective. Keeping silent, one gets ample time to think deeply, can utter right words without hurting others' sentiments. Words are like arrows - once released from the bow, they cannot be taken back and stay in lodged in the memory all through life. Through silence, we learnt to communicate wisely. We also learn to find our hidden talents and be happy within our inner self. It is said, where the heart is full, silence is the best expression. Words are like rain - much sound and many ripples. Silence is like a body of water. It can have the depth of an ocean and hold many worlds within. A beautiful blessing comes to mind - "May the stars carry your sadness away. May the flowers fill your heart with beauty. May hope wipe away your tears. And above all, may silence make you strong." The power of silence is unshakeable because there is nothing left to shake.

Simple is the path to the sublime

As a morning marks the day, childhood creates a glimpse of the life to come. Today, in my ripe old age, I look back at my childhood days and I feel amused. Devoid of modern facilities, then life was simple, joyful and stress free. We did not have fancy toys, smart phones or even television. We were happy to be drenched by the monsoon rains, enjoyed swinging atop a tree branch, or occasionally a walk down to a nearby village with our teachers to enjoy a picnic day. A walk on the moist green grass strewn with morning dew was so thrilling it is still a vivid memory. We had our classes in the shade of big trees except sfor cience classes, which needed equipment and classromms. Life was full of trust, love and sharing. I remember once as a young child, I was thrilled to discover a huge bottle gourd growing in our garden. As there was nobody around to share this amazing discover, I ran out of the compound of the house to find an old man was passing by - he became the unsuspecting candidate for sharing my exuberant discovery. I ran out to him, and dragged him by the arm into our garden to share my joyous discovery - "dadu (grandpa), come and see how beautiful this bottle gourd is, hanging from this creeper in our garden." Being a very kind man, he played the part of a willing and amazed audience quite well, much to my delight. With changing times our lifestyle has changed completely. Telephones, computers, televisions and ipads have taken over our life. Life lived within the closed in walls of apartment homes, and the constant drum beat of competitive exams for kids have made children's life more stressful. Even having fun has become work. Moreover, after the isolation of two years with covid, we all have become uncommunicative and our social senses have been somewhat dulled. We have almost lost the ease of friendly chatter, or a hearty laugh. The time has come to bring a meaningful changes in our lives - the essentials of a life well lives are simple. In forgetting ourselves we find ourselves. In serving all around us we create value in our own lives. And that is possible only by shifting our conciousness and surrendering to a greater cause than our own entrapment - one defined by constant distraction. It isn't entertainment that we must seek but stability and centeredness as a prerequisite to joyfulness. The simple act of breathing consciousless can bring us to our better selves. One that finds joy in just being. Children are unique in their power to create their own reality - much like the morning defines the day, the consciousness of a child if nurtured well will define a life well lived. We must remember the inspiring message of The Gita, which says, "meditation can bring correction and improvement to our inner personality, making the mind peaceful, poised and vibrant." No simpler nor truer words have been said.