Mindful Monday - On Quiet

Through silence it is possible to better hear ourselves, those around us, and the universe. The great Greek philosopher and mathematician, Pythagoras, emphasized this conception eras ago: “Let your quiet mind listen and absorb the silence,” he advised his students.

Sound: In human physiology and psychology, sound is the reception of vibrations and waves and their perception by the brain.

Noise: A sound that is especially unpleasant or disturbing.

Quiet: Carrying out discreetly or with moderation. Making little noise.

Pavlov’s Theory: Emotional reactions to certain stimuli can be shaped and influenced by constant repetition.

“Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.” - Leonardo da Vinci

Noise is the most unjustly celebrated addiction of our times. From the moment of awakening each day, the litany of technology is endless, replacing the sonnet of earth, nature, and the universe. As the great Carl Sagan said, “We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.”

Chaos, chatter, notifications, and the crushing plethora of unfiltered commentary, have been conditioning humans, Pavlovian style (Pavlov’s Theory) for decades.

There is a belief, he who speaks first and/or the loudest and/or the most has (the) power, thus social media “success bombing” has become the norm. All of this has been proven unequivocally incorrect. Conversely, true substance, authority, and power manifest in quiet.

On Quiet - 6/6

6 Benefits of Quiet:

Better Outcomes: Speaking narrows the space of listening and observation. Proper listening and observation allow for the necessary collection of data, effectively resulting in an ideal outcome.

No Regrets: Hastily spoken words are the purveyors of regret. Quiet allows space for purer thoughts and a higher degree of clarity resulting in mindfulness and reflection.

Impact: As a comma is to a pause and a period is to the end, so is the mastery of silence to a successful message.

Influence: Words have greater merit when spoken by those who use them sparingly.

Negotiating Advantage: In negotiating for the advantage, silence is difficult to repudiate.

Creation: All things are created from the quiet of silence. Thought, the arts, music, fables and stories, are conceived through silence and quiet.

6 Components of Quiet:

Truth: There is nothing artificial or engineered about it.

Intuition: Non-verbal, unspoken cues, subconscious reasoning, and instinct are more accessible in the quiet.

Conscious Reasoning: Thought becomes better organized and analyzed in the quiet.

Development: The optimal environment and conditions for neural development are silence and quiet.

Pure Answers: There is no explanation necessary.

The Universe: Magic originates within you through the silence of the Universe.