2-All re... How can we produce more silence in our lives.....? Mark Kincaid 8/7

[Guest guest]

In response to a recent question about silence....vs. stress and

anxiety......

 

??

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear All:

 

This is such a great subject, becasue as it turns out 'silence' is one of

the most important ingredients of Spiritual Life.

 

I remember my youth, where I was an ardent seeker, and wondered about so

many things, and the whole while, no one

told me about how, 'silence' could be developed!

 

It took me going to college where I stumbled upon a little book called:

" How to Know God " , where I got my first clue!

 

One of the things in the book, said: " The key to spirituality is the direct

experience of God. "

 

Wow, I thought I didn't know that God could be experienced.....?

No one ever told me, that....!

 

Well, that was the beginning of my real thirst and growth of spirituality.

 

Because very quickly I heard about meditation, and the development of

silence that would come from that.

 

Though the topic and my appreciation at the time, was very poor, I remember

my meditation teacher saying: " Don't forget, rest is the basis of

activity. "

 

That too seemed so strange and foreigh, give me a good late movie, or

staying up late, but to go to bed earlier, or develop silence,.....?

weird....

 

But, I was very highly stressed and very confused, (1970), as you might

imagine, and so I started.

 

Noticed something right away though I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

 

About 5 months later, however, I was sitting in a class, in college and the

teacher called upon us, students. My normal reaction of course, was to look

down and try and avoid eye contact!

 

Public speaking was not one of my favorites, to say the least....!

 

But, all of a sudden, I looked up, and whoa! my hand had sprung into the

air.....

 

What was I doing...?

 

Who was doing this....?

 

And before I could pull it down, he called upon me for the answer.....

 

Oh, God, I can't believe this is happening...

 

But, I stood up, I quickly took a gulp, answered the question, and before I

knew it, it was over!

 

Then, I sat there, wondering what the heck had happened, .... till I noticed

I was alone, watching everyone else, squirming in their desks for the entire

period...

 

I went home, shaking my head, Q What had happened? Why did I do this....?

 

Then, all of a sudden it occured to me,... " Oh, my..... I wasn't so afraid.

I had realized in fact, if I got up, first, and got it over, I wouldn't have

to sit there and suffer, all that self-anxiety....like normal.

 

Then, I realized....

 

Oh, by God,.....that's from meditating....

 

I didn't even realize it, but suddenly after these few months, I'd gotten

stronger, more confident, still, even silent inside.....

 

And suddenly, I was stronger....

 

It was spontaneous, not a mood, certainly I hadn't tried to be more

'silent'.

 

Then I knew what my teacher had meant:

 

" Meditate regularly, twice a day, and you will find the benefits coming to

you, without any notice.... "

 

Wow, ..... that had happened to me, and all I had to do, was rest

myself.....my body,... and mind.... a couple of times a day.... and

what a benefit!

 

After years of anxiety, and self-consciousness, boom, it was over, done,

gone!

 

And what had happened.....?

 

The growth of silence....had been enlivened inside...and it was beginning to

slide...out!

side...too......

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Mark Kincaid

 

 

Astrologer

Teacher of Meditation & Ayurved

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1 641 472-0000.