In the world of thoughts and feelings, there is always going to be something to bother you. You are constantly identifying with and pouring your life energy into what cannot grow. Instead, you keep trying to grow by thinking… trying to find a better you by having better plans… even spiritual plans!

The only part of you that can actually grow is silence. A part of your nature is silent. It is the only part of you that can grow past all the pictures that you presently live from. If you want to grow, you have to go into this silence that is a part of you, and yet not “you.”

Silence is intended to become an intimate friend. Don’t try to do something with silence… just find it. That is your spiritual exercise. Your awareness of the noise is the birth of silence within you. It’s the very beginning and the best you can hope for as a spiritual student.

Every single time that up comes a thought, a feeling, a voice – all the noise in your head – you can choose, instead of going into the noise and trying to find some resolution in it, to go into silence. At the very same moment that all the terrible noise is going on, there is silence there, and you can choose it.

As you begin to give those rushing feelings and shouting voices the silent treatment, you will begin to discover an awareness of how terribly noisy and painful it is for you to live in the world you’ve chosen… and that is the first step onto the ground of silence.