most of us are afraid of silence. the scientist Pascal observed,"all man's miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone." perhaps a bit of an overstatement, but still much truth in that. try sitting quietly alone for awhile and see how long you can go without fidgeting (or falling asleep).

it's estimated we have 60,000 separate thoughts a day. sure seems like there's some room for decrease there. adding to that total are things like having your radio on in the car or at your computer all the time. and how many people do you see with earplugs and ipods in the street, with almost never a moment of silence? a pause in a conversation an awkward thing to be quickly filled in. as a society we are afraid of silence. which sucks because without it, we will not know inner peace. i'm all for stimuli, but periods of silence make the periods of stimulation that much more intense.

in music, the periods in between notes are what make it interesting. if everything is a constant wall of noise, we quickly tire of it.

and much of what we communicate when we speak to others occurs in between the actually sound of the words we speak - in the form of silent body language.

mother teresa describes silence this way, "See how nature - trees, grass, grow in silence; see the stars, the moon, and the sun, how they move in silence...We need silence to be able to touch souls." including our own.

all creativity requires some stillness. plus it reduces fatigue. so if you can meditate, great. if not, then just think about turning off the radio, or taking a quiet walk and listening to nature.

posted by bluematrix at 08/27/07 21:35 | link | comments

here is some really good stuff from one of my favorite motivational writers, wayne dyer. indeed, this may be one of the most important pieces of spiritual advice i've ever shared on this blog.

in his book 'the Power of Intention' he identifies 6 ego beliefs that get in the way of us being content. if we can perceive these as the incorrect distortions of reality that they are, we will be a hell of a lot happier. it's hard, because they are subtle and very ingrained into us. but if you can at least recognize them in your life, you can begin to work on getting rid of the crutches your ego uses to bring you down.

1) I am what I have. meaning that my possessions define me and my happiness depends on the quality or quantity of the stuff i have.

2) I am what I do. meaning that my achievements define me and my happiness depends my job or what i can achieve.

3) I am what others think of me. meaning that my reputation defines me and my happiness depends on what someone else thinks of me.

4) I am separate from everyone. meaning that my body defines me and that I feel I am alone and separate from others of my kind.

5) I am separate from all that is missing from my life. meaning that my life space is disconnected from my desires. if we spend our time worrying about money, we will most likely not ever have enough money.

6) I am separate from God. meaning that my religion defines me and my happiness depends on God's assessment of me.

Carl Jung claimed "What you are unconscious of will become your fate".  our unconscious beliefs are creating our lives. start examining these ego beliefs and consciously begin to change the ones holding you back from being truly happy.

posted by bluematrix at 08/22/07 22:48 | link | comments (1)

comment to a sad blogger,

i sure understand the need to write, to expunge, to share - but then not being able to find the right words, doubting any meaning or relevance.

but know that writing crystalizes thoughts. know that not only do you need to write, but others need to read it. for your art is not for you alone. it is for not for you to determine how relevant it is. you are only the scribe for the soul within you that needs to share itself with other souls.

your post was powerful and poignant.

hang tough, surf the tao, and enjoy what sunrises you have left in this body.

tim

posted by bluematrix at 08/14/07 21:22 | link | comments

i haven't had the inspiration, or time, to flex my creative writing muscles in awhile. but two weeks on an island with no tv or radio, little internet access, good teachers, intelligent talk, perfect weather, and lots of time, definitely help...

looking back over the rail
the sights and sounds of the harbor
still enfold me

but after the lines holding us here fall away
a deep rumble grows louder
and the ferry slips from the old dock

there is the patio i drank a corona upon arriving
alone and curious as to what
the weeks ahead would hold

the beach i frequented
slowly passes on my left
sunbathers, our positions reversed now,
occupy my favorite spot near the small lighthouse

picking up speed
the frothy wake a trail
still tenuously connecting me to the shore
but details are merging together now
like pixels of an island screensaver

a young couple with a pug
settle into hard weathered seats across from me
i continue to stand
watching as long as possible
as nantucket shrinks
growing fainter with each moment
just as many of my smaller memories will
leaving only the highlights of my time there
to be gently placed
into my soft grey container
of life experiences
.

posted by bluematrix at 08/07/07 07:56 | link | comments