For the #philosophical among us, heres a lyrical and evocative description of the different manners of #silence: Not speaking and speaking are both human ways of being in the world, and there are kinds and grades of each. There is the dumb silence of slumber or apathy; the sober silence that goes with a solemn animal face; the fertile silence of awareness, pasturing the soul, whence emerge new thoughts; the alive silence of alert perception, ready to say, “This… this…”; the musical silence that accompanies absorbed activity; the silence of listening to another speak, catching the drift and helping him be clear; the noisy silence of resentment and self-recrimination, loud and subvocal speech but sullen to say it; baffled silence; the silence of peaceful accord with other persons or communion with the cosmos. { PAUL GOODMAN } Because coping with cancer (or with any serious illness, for that matter) often ushers in feelings of isolation, overwhelm and dislocation, #meditations like these can help #survivors and #caregivers relax into, accept, and even embrace new experiences and distances ... from oneself and from others. But wait, this reassures us, there can be meaning in your newfound stillness. Inertness can be fertile and alive. The space between breaths can be as sustaining as the inhalations. #PaulGoodman shares Elizabeth Gilbert and Anne Lamotts gift for deft expressiveness and startling poetic insight, especially about the less noticeable everyday relevancies. Thanks to Brain Pickings for introducing us to his singular voice and talent. Heres a link to the article in its entirety: brainpickings.org/2015/01/13/paul-goodman-silence/ #healing #zen #literary #cancer #mindfulness
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 19:00:01 +0000
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