Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands
30 November 2017
Silence
“Golden”
The saying ‘Silence is golden’ is often used in circumstances where it is thought that saying nothing is preferable to speaking. There are reports of versions of it dating back to Ancient Egypt. The first example of it in English is from the poet Thomas Carlyle.
The saying ‘Silence is golden’ needs to be understood deeply so that love and peace can exist in every moment of daily life in every family. Love and peace are longed for in a family and by every member of the family.
So what the understanding of silence could be needs to be pondered upon by everyone.
Gold is precious. The quote ‘Silence is golden’ signifies that silence is precious as well. Silence is precious because silence is present in a class room, in a prayer hall, in a temple, in a church or any place of worship.
God is love and God is silence. This signifies that unconditional love is silence or God, because unconditional love accepts everyone as a creation or manifestation of God.
When unconditional love, which is silence, is present, when you talk to each other in a family or to a friend, it is silence. Each member of the family or friend becomes invaluable and precious.
The belief that you love though you talk with anger or hate is not love. The belief is only an excuse to talk with anger or hate. When you talk with anger or hate, it is sound without any value or preciousness. The sound of words of anger and hate is not the invaluable, precious silence.
You become silent, meaning you begin to talk with love. You talk with love when you understand that a family and every member of the family, including a friend, is a precious child of God, including yourself.
Therefore, to talk with love and respect to each member of the family or to a friend is very important. It is important because the silence in love brings peace and harmony in the family in every house.
Silence also brings in the understanding that what we are meant to have we will have and we cannot get it to have it. This signifies that what we have is gifted by God or silence to have it.
When the understanding of silence cements in man or woman, he or she will be grateful to God for whatever he or she has and will never demand to get it or have it.
The mantra in daily life will be love instead of ‘get it’, which is the mantra of every modern man or woman. Everyone in the family will always be close to God’s blessings when he or she is in silence or silent, meaning talks with unconditional love.
Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2017
Editor’s note:
To bite one’s tongue is an expression often used to quell a criticism or complaint that the present experience is not in accord with what is acceptable or appropriate. Nothing may be said or shown to reveal the displeasure, yet the silent reaction may be negative. The deep understanding of silence gifted in this article, however, reveals that silence is unforced and unconditional; it never changes. This silence is truly golden, the balm of life.
Julian Capper, UK.
German Translator‘s Note:
Words are silent, when they reflect unconditional love. Words are loud and disturbing, even if spoken softly, when they reflect a conditioned mind. Loving words do not demand, do not blame or criticise and don‘t pretend to know what should be done, spoken or thought. Silent words are patiently reflecting an understanding, that doing, speaking and thinking happens to everyone of us. “Silence is golden“ - In the article “Silence“, Dr. Shankar reveals the wise meaning of the proverb and opens the door to enlightenment.
Marcus Stegmaier, Germany.