During the past few weeks, I have not been able to do my usual recreational activities due to lower-back pain. I ended up spending much-needed alone time in my farm in Silang, where I always find refuge, away from all the physical and mental noise pollution in the metropolis.
In the Bible, Job 33:31 tells us, “Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.” I have discovered only recently that the most important benefit of being silent is the ability to hear Him speak.In his international best-selling book, The Alchemist, Paolo Coelho narrated the story of Santiago, a young shepherd who crossed the African desert in search for treasure.
During his journey, Santiago encountered several key people—a king, a crystal shop owner, a gypsy girl, an Englishman and, of course, an alchemist—all of whom influenced his choices during his journey. Rather than using logic, Santiago used silence to connect with the desert, the wind and, most important, his heart. It was during these silent moments that he became keenly aware of things that would have otherwise escaped his notice. And he eventually found his treasure from within, using silence as a tool to discern with his heart.In this day and age, social media connects us to each other by keeping us updated and informed of the world around us.
l have yet to see an event, whether it is a business conference or a social party, where people do not have their smartphones in hand. To some extent, a responsible citizen ought to be informed of what is happening in the world. However, my friend LSG once told me that there is so much romance in being alone.
In solitude and silence, we discover ourselves. Disconnecting from the world allows us to connect to our heart. Marian is a lawyer whose unique dedication, determination and devotion has led her to a prosperous life. She graduated with distinction from a prominent law school in the country, prompting popular law firms to recruit her while she was still a student. Her experience and expertise in law eventually led her to start her own lucrative law practice. But a few years ago she decided to completely change her life—she dissolved her firm, let go of her high-profile clients, and decided to pursue a career in academe. To change one’s career so radically is never an easy decision, but Marian’s mindfulness obtained through silence guided her through the process.
Of course, such a life-changing decision may be difficult for others to accept. Her clients, friends and, initially, her husband, objected to the closure of her financially rewarding law office. But her heart told her to be true to herself. In the Bible, Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Despite all the financial and professional successes the firm had brought her, she realized that family was more important and chose to quit to become a present and mindful mother and wife instead.
An avid practitioner of Ashtanga yoga, Marian shares that her upward and downward dog postures make her feel connected to Him, like a father embracing his daughter. Her personal mantra is “I am always enough,” and it has led her to the realization that whatever she does will always be pleasing to Him. She has defied the traditional definition of success and has learned to not care about what others may say about her career. She thinks less of success in terms of accumulating wealth and now thinks more of meaning in terms of how she pleases Him. In her words, she said, “God has promised us abundance and so in silence, you know He will grant the deepest desires of your heart.”
Standing still in silence allows us to feel His presence and discern His will. Sometimes we need to be silent and disconnect to connect. Social media is just one of the many activities that impair our ability to hear our heart.
In all her successes, Marian connects to her heart in the same way Santiago connected to his. In the Bible, Jeremiah 29:13 tells us, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” We can hear our hearts only when we are still, only when there is silence, in the same way that Marian prays and Santiago crosses the desert. If silence is the anchor in our ship called life, then our heart is the steering wheel that directs our journey toward the best destination in our lives.
For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.