The Maine woods are special places to be. I wish I could wish myself there and avoid the hassle and agony of actually traveling there. Traveling and I do not do well in my advancing years. It is “noisy” in the sense of being an utter disruption in my life, as you know well from your own experiences in getting from place to far off place. I could bear it when I was younger, but with age I don’t bother myself with things that are invasive and not “my thing.”
This plays on my shift into stillness and silence generally speaking. I am quieter than I used to be, intentionally so. I think, and I’m sure I have said this here before and I will, I am certain also say it after. Here it comes now: Our problems could be diminished significantly by decreasing the degree of noise in our life and increasing the degree of silence in our life. The right kind of silence is the solution to all of our difficulties.
Primarily because it introduces us to the here, now–which we all take for granted as the place we have to be between where we have been and where we are going (Like getting from here to Maine). But the here, now is all there is. And we hardly spend any amount of time there at all. But really being aware of being here, now is the source of deep and abiding joy and gladness, though you will have to take my word for it before you have your on experience of it. If you can simply relax into, settle into here, now, it expands and deepens and opens itself before you with all manner of amazing realizations and experiences. Like Intuition, for example. If you fall into the right kind of recpetivity, your Intuition may step out of hiding and remind you of things you have forgotten, and take credit for you remembering, and probably doing them initially because your intuition made it possible. And when we establish an enjoyable kind of friendship with our Intuition (Pal-hood, I call it), our life takes on a certain kind of energy and “shine” (I call it) that makes it fun to be alive just being aware of Intuition’s influence and presence in our life. And Intuition is the interface between ourselves and Psyche and Psyche is the life force throughout the Universe, all living things in the Cosmos are awash in the environment of life that is Psyche. I think of Psyche as God without the theology. Theology is really the hostage takeover of God, and there is now only Psyche left to the area she used to share with God before theology came on the scene with all it’s nonsense that imposes onto God all of the projections that humans have loaded God down with making God a “Projection Magnet” and leaving it to Psyche to be life’s source of tender love and care while God, thanks to theology, is always threatening people with hell and punishment on earth if they don’t toe the line and blah, blah, blah. But Psyche may come to life in the silence in ways that are caring and life affirming, and she is wonderful company if we display the right variety of quiet receptivity and interest.
Anyway the silence is the source of wonder and joy, and a very special gift all its own. So meet it with open arms and enjoy settling into your times of presence in the silent quietness of your life.
Jim Dollar's Photography and Philosophy 