The Seven Stages of Silence

In the business of our daily lives, finding moments of silence can be very precious. It allows us to refocus on what truly matters. Experiencing silence can be quite profound, bringing with it a deep stillness and centeredness. When my mind is quiet, a beautiful peacefulness settles on me like a blanket, and in that state of mind there are no more questions circling endlessly in my mind. Instead, I feel a sense of oneness. After these moments of silence, I can engage in my daily tasks with greater clarity. It is as though the brain has been freed of all the useless junk that it accumulates and there is space to think, create and to simply be. Yes, I love silence. It is truly magical. And I’d like to share with you a practice that helps me find it.

One of my favourite journeys into silence is what I call the ‘Seven Stages of Silence’. It’s a simple yet effective practice that can be done anywhere, and all you need are seven small objects – stones, twigs, or anything easily visible and unlikely to blow away. It can be seven different things. These tiny objects will help you keep track of where you are on the journey. First sit down somewhere you won’t be interrupted. I like to sit on the ground but it’s also fine to be sitting at a table where you can place your seven small objects. Place your objects to one side. For this occasion, I will place them all together on my left.

Now ask yourself where you would go if you needed a little more silence than you have right now. This takes you into the first stage of silence. As you take your mind there, move one of the tiny objects to the right-hand side. Enjoy that silent space for a moment or for as long as you like.

Then think of a place where you have even more silence. This is the second stage of silence. Immerse your mind in that second stage of silence as you move a second tiny object from the left pile to the right. Enjoy that second space for as long as you can. Go through this process until all the tiny objects on the left are moved to the right. Notice the greater silence you feel in each stage that you get to. Some people find it hard, at first, to go beyond the third or fourth space of silence. That is fine. Just stay in the furthest space you get to and enjoy it. When you feel you have gone as far as you can go and have spent enough time in your furthest stage, start the return journey. Move the tiny objects from right to left as you go back to the stage before. Listen to the silence level changing as you go back to the stage before, until you get back to the here and now.

You can do this practice on your own or in a group. Learning about each person’s stages of silence is very interesting. For some, the tiny objects are a meditation point, marking the start of different levels of consciousness. For others the practice is a journey to different places – an imaginary journey underwater, in their mother’s womb, in outer space, into deep forests, on long car journeys across the desert, in a room, in a spiritual place, on mountain tops, in caves, on the beach, in favourite places around the world. People said that their silent places could appear whilst they were in the middle of a busy street! What is your experience of silence? Where are your silent places?

There are more thoughts and information on silence in chapter five of my book, Just Add Spirit. The chapter is called Silence: From silence to silence.