Silence my secret: “The question actually leads you into silence” ~ Adyashanti
Love … Surrender … God …
Rumi says: “As you start on the way, the way appears. When you cease to be, real being comes … “ The way, of course, is the ultimate journey of self realization … and in “ceasing to be” we are surrendering {to God} … Rumi encourages such surrender in the same poem, a bit later: “… Close your eyes and surrender. Find yourself in the city of God …” … and, in this journey, at some stage, we find someone (a “teacher?”) who exhorts us (or we discover ourselves how) “… to live and move as Love embodied in form …”
Earlier this year, we explored a poem about a “meeting” that invited us to live a life where we are embodiments of Love … and today, Adyashanti takes this Love even deeper to “… the Love that “demands everything” …” and he encourages us “… to put it all on the line and “for once in your life,” lose your final hand to God” …”
Such a surrender has the potential to deepen compassion and kindness … as it helps us live a life where we “… do not create, and/or add-to, ill-will … and be an ongoing source of harmlessness …” despite the contrarian obstacles – the “unconscious forces or tendencies” – that sway us away from such a life.
And, such a conscious way of being is one way to navigate the “2020 ongoing mayhem (COVID, economic collapse, and social unrest)” with balance and equanimity … that not only helps us but the “others” we encounter and interact with.
So here’s Adyashanti’s My Secret Is Silence … which we have re-labeled (for the purposes of this post) as Silence My Secret …
Silence My Secret …
The waves of mind
demand so much of Silence.
But She does not talk back
does not give answers nor arguments.
She is the hidden author of every thought
every feeling
every moment.
Silence.
She speaks only one word.
And that word is this very existence.
No name you give Her
touches Her
captures Her.
No understanding
can embrace Her.
Mind throws itself at Silence
demanding to be let in.
But no mind can enter into
Her radiant darkness
Her pure and smiling
nothingness.
The mind hurls itself
into sacred questions.
But Silence remains
unmoved by the tantrums.
She asks only for nothing.
Nothing.
But you won’t give it to Her
because it is the last coin
in your pocket.
And you would rather
give her your demands than
your sacred and empty hands.
~ Adyashanti
This poem, My Secret Is Silence, is from Adyashanti’s book My Secret is Silence: Poetry and Sayings of Adyashanti … and is excerpted from the chapter Enlightenment Is A Gamble where “… Adyashanti explores the process of surrender. He addresses spiritual seekers who have touched upon the Love that “demands everything,” but who have not yet given themselves fully to it. This is the most demanding of the chapters, while also being the most fun. Here Adya shares, in no uncertain terms, what price one must pay in order to live what is realized. He urges you to put it all on the line and “for once in your life,” lose your final hand to God …” (from the Introduction)
The Introduction also says “… Each chapter of this book highlights a theme that follows a general movement of the spiritual journey that begins with the spiritual search and culminates in the dance of true non-duality. Each poem is followed by sayings that serve to further illuminate its message …”…
So, here’s Adyashanti’s sayings that “further illuminate” the above poem’s message:
To surrender willfulness and positionality
is the greatest act and the doorway to
infinite love and freedom.As long as you mistakenly look to the mind
for truth, it will continue to haunt you to no end.
The best course of action is to look
and see for yourself that nothing in the mind
is ultimately true, real or existing.What seems so real to you
is only imagination to me.The question actually leads you into silence.
Our teacher page on Adyashanti provides more information about his background and teachings, plus you’ll find blog posts, video posts, articles, books, DVDs, and more … about, and from, him.
=== ==== ===
As we’ve done since the COVID crisis began … we want to honor and highlight the “heroes” that continue to ensure our health and safety in the midst of the pandemic: Go Fund Me has organized various campaigns targeted towards the COVID-19 relief efforts. All of these campaigns are worthy of our attention … but for now we want to highlight TWO critical ones that we are supporting personally and also as Stillness Speaks (through donations):
We are all facing financial challenges but IF your situation allows you to donate and help then …
… please visit Frontline Responders Fund’s Go Fund Me page … and help deliver crucial supplies to these frontline responders …
… and/or visit America’s Food Fund Go Fund Me page and help feed the neighbors in need.
And, we again, express our deepest gratitude to a) the COVID-19 Frontline Responders (all the healthcare professionals – doctors, nurses, hospital/medical-services staff – firefighters, law enforcement, volunteers, and any/all the people involved in keeping the “system-at-large” functioning for ALL of us) … and b) Go Fund Me for organizing America’s Food Fund to feed the needy.
THANK YOU.
=== ==== ===
May the contemplation of this poem help you be an embodiment of love … and …
May you be peaceful in your daily rhythm and interactions with others … and …
May you remain safe and healthy as you navigate these troubling times.
Opening quote, above Adyashanti Poem, and all italicized text (except Rumi poem excerpts in the first blockquote) is excerpted from My Secret is Silence: Poetry and Sayings of Adyashanti, by Adyashanti.
Excerpts from the Rumi poem:The Way That Moves as You Move are from The Soul of Rumi: A New Collection of Ecstatic Poems, Translations by Coleman Barks.
Quote re ill-will and harmlessness: a Zen paraphrased quote – source unknown.
Images: (edited and logo added): Featured and 1) Incredible colorful sunset on Stellisee lake by Ivankmit, 2) Winter Landscape End of Day by Alain Audet, Pixabay License, 3) Mountain lake among the forest at night by pellinni, 4) View of beautiful sunset by Imaginechina-Tuchong, 5) . All except 2 purchased from depositphotos, for use only on our website/social channels (these images are not permitted to be shared separate from this post). 2) from Pixabay.
