this moment: “… the sun rises in silence and sets back into silence but Silence does not arise or set; it ever is  …” ~ Billy Doyle

moment sunset monument valley doyle

Thomas Merton started living in the hermitage at Gethsemani, largely in seclusion (from May 1965 until his untimely & shocking death in 1968), and during this period he wrote one of his well known essays, Day of a Stranger, where he notes: “… the stillness, the silence, … the virginal point of pure nothingness … is at the center of all other loves. …” 

And, here’s Merton, again, in his book Silence, Joy: “God is present, and His thought is alive and awake in the fullness and depth and breadth of all the silences of the world. (Jeremias 1:11)”

Adyashanti said in his book True Meditation : “… An attitude of open receptivity, free of any goal or anticipation, will facilitate the presence of silence and stillness to be revealed as your natural condition. …” … and he adds :

“… Silence and stillness are not states and therefore cannot be produced or created. Silence is the non-state in which all states arise and subside. Silence, stillness, and awareness are not states and can never be perceived in their totality as objects. Silence is itself the eternal witness without form or attributes. …”

ocean of silence billy doyleIndeed, silence is the bedrock of all there is … and, as we noted in part 1 of this 2-part series that teachers from most, if not all, traditions have expressed similar sentiments in their own unique ways …

In this series we are exploring silence through poetry with an excerpt based preview of Billy Doyle’s Ocean of Silence, a book of poetry on silence … where the book’s anchoring quote is from Jean Klein – someone who deeply influenced Billy :

“If we disinterestedly observe the arising and disappearing of all the states we experience, we soon come to realize that each state, each perception, each thought, is reabsorbed into an unspoken knowing, knowing as being. This, the continuum, the only reality, is there before activity commences. Let yourself sink deep within this stillness each time it makes itself felt.” ~ Jean Klein, I Am

So today, we offer three short poems (reminders) about the potency of silence …

{All italicized text in this post (except noted otherwise) is from the book, Ocean of Silence, and is published here with the publisher New Sarum Press’ generous permission. Scroll to the bottom for a free downloadable Table of Contents.}

So … take a pause … read … pause … reflect … pause … then reflect some more on this post … and see what is revealed for you 🙂 …

This Moment & Your Breath …

be aware of the flow of your breath
let it come to you
let it go
free of volition
let the breath breathe you
now feel the space after the exhale
wait here for the gift of the inhale
abide here in this empty moment
not a moment, but timeless
not empty, but fullness

sunrise timeless doyle

the evening sunset
a Monet painting
the laughter of a child
beautiful moments
reminding us of our own beauty
but every moment is wet with its source
every moment Consciousness is
no need to search elsewhere

this moment evening sunset doyle

the joy of hearing birdsong at dawn
the evening colours in the sky

but then it fades
what is this joy
is it from the child’s laughter
or the harmony of the raga
no, it’s always there, it’s you
it’s never gone away

the smile, the colours
are just reminding you what always is

dawn mt rainier doyle

 

All italicized text above (except otherwise noted) is from Ocean of Silence by Billy Doyle and is published here with the publisher  New Sarum Press generous permission.

And click here for a FREE downloadable copy of the Table of Contents, graciously and generously made available by the publisher New Sarum Press.

 

Tapping into the ever present silence not only helps us realize our True Nature  … but it also helps us truly see the oneness of us all … and in that spirit let us help the victims of Hurricane Ian in whatever way we can … and to that end here are some options:

1) 6ABC:How to help those impacted by Hurricane Ian.

2) Go Fund Me: How You Can Help: Donate to Hurricane Ian Relief.

3) USA Today: Here’s how you can help those affected by Hurricane Ian in Florida.

— — — —

We are all facing financial challenges but IF your situation allows you to donate and help then please do so …

THANK YOU!

 

And, may you embrace silence … and realize the gifts within … and …

May you remain safe and healthy as you navigate these unsettling times.

Images (edited & Logo added): 1 & Featured) Beautiful Monument Valley Landscape Showing the Famous Navajo Buttes by tobkatrina, 2) Ocean of Silence cover image from New Sarum Press, 3) Beautiful cloudscape over the sea, sunrise shot by valio84sl, 4) Beautiful sunset at the Portugal beach by ikostudio, 5) Mount Rainier reflection from Tipsoo Lake at Sunrise by Pierre_Leclerc_Photography. All purchased from 123rtf and 3-4 from depositphotos. All are for use only on our website/social channels (these images are not permitted to be shared separate from this post),
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