GOD IS BEAUTY
How to put into words something that comes from “no words?” It’s like describing the color “green” to someone who has never had sight. “It’s like. . . ” is the best one can do. Metaphor. A metaphor points to something it intends to describe. But since the metaphor is only a description, it will always fall short of its goal.
This is especially true when it comes to the elusive and hidden world of Silence. Silence is everywhere and yet we fill our lives with so much noise. Is this a cover-up? Would we feel safer if silence was “no where?” It takes true courage and authenticity to enter into the depths of Silence. Oh, we may be pretty good at allowing ourselves a time for “quiet.” But “quiet” is not Silence. Quiet is a condition. A condition we can (and should) create to remove our souls from the draining demands of noise.
Silence is its own Being. It is a place but its location is never guaranteed. It is separate from human life yet calls us into relationship. And, the True Self in each of us, yearns for a relationship with this transforming host.
So we go to the gates of Silence. We shut down and move away from all the makers of noise. We learn the practice of being still, of simply “be-ing.” Then, we must wait. We must be open and receptive. We must have no agenda, only the desire for mystery. We must be humble. We must be empty. We must be patient.
Most times the thoughts running through our heads (our “monkey mind”) will show up and demand our attention. We must learn to deal with our own interference. Through practice, we realize if we fight the monkey, it will win. We must learn to gently acknowledge its presence and then lovingly ask that it go away. We need to reassure the monkey mind (which is typically our constant companion) that we need to be alone for now. Now we must enter the fullness of emptiness. Only then will Silence decide to meet us. . . or not. We are not in control. Silence will decide if and when we are ready to enter into its domain.
Should the gate begin to open, we will sense its Presence, its power, its Light. That moment is both precious as well as threatening. Fear will try to grab hold and pull us back into the familiar ground of noise. Love and the deep desire of one’s soul will bid us stay, remain still, remain…
Silence will speak only when she is ready. She will speak the language of Divinity. This is Beauty. Here is the dwelling place of God.
p.res.ence 
Pat sent me here. I’m glad she did. This is beauty indeed.
Blessings
Alison
LikeLike
Thank you. You do me honor. Pat is a good friend. She stopped over earlier today to teach me a few things about computers and blogs. Well, it’s been snowing a good bit today and before long Pat and I found ourselves outside shoveling the snow. She was happy to help. That’s a good friend.
Recently, Pat pointed me to your wonderful site. Wow! I am impressed in several ways. You are clearly a remarkable (and courageous) couple. I think many of us dream of letting go of everything and simply heading on. But while many imagine the possibility, few take to the road. It takes trust and an incredible love for Life. Along with your great Spirit, you have such an amazing gift for words, for the telling of the story. thank you for sharing such goodness with us. and the pictures… each… truly an invitation to sit, be still, and simply enjoy the beauty of it all. Truly awesome! You inspire me to want to do some good with my little blog.
May the road rise to meet you…
peace,
greg
LikeLike
Thank you so very much for your kind words. Our letting go of our home and possessions (and a lot of inner letting go in the process, that continues to this day) was really an act of God: it was so completely inspired. We would never have thought of it ourselves. It arose within Don with such clarity that we knew it was what we needed to do – or suffer. Right from the beginning the trust was enormous, for both of us, and that also continues to this day. Our love of life increases with the journey. What a huge gift we’ve been given. What an enormous blessing. We have long believed we are ‘being done’, and that nothing is personal. We follow instructions lol.
As for the blog – I believe that too is a gift, and am honoured to be the instrument, and to share it. Again, a blessing, and a huge source of pleasure for me. If ever I have nothing to say for a particular post I just drop into a kind of silence (maybe not as deep as you have described above) and the words come. I just have to make space for them.
May you blog be a beacon of light for all who need it. I don’t think you’ll even have to try and that will happen 🙂
And may the road also rise to meet you
Blessings
Alison
PS Maybe one day we’ll be in the US and we will all get to meet each other!
LikeLike