We believe that understanding the distinction between silence and meditation is a very understandable question, even though most people will immediately dismiss it. After all, when someone meditates, it really just appears that they are sitting quietly. Although silence and tranquilly are frequent components of meditation, it involves more than just being still.
What is silence?
As opposed to the emission of sounds that are loud enough to be heard, silence is the absence of background noise.
What is meditation?
It’s about becoming conscious and gaining a fair viewpoint. You’re not attempting to silence your thoughts or emotions. You’re learning to look at them with objectivity. And eventually, you might begin to comprehend them more fully as well.
What distinguishes meditation from silence?
Abstention from speaking or making noise is essentially what silence is. People may purposefully take a vow of silence in a monastery in order to concentrate their minds in a more conducive, less complicated setting.
While doing so, meditation offers a means of transcending the mind. Depending on the style, meditation might entail achieving a state of no mind. You have quieted your mind in no mind so that there are no thoughts, feelings, or desires. Basically, you are both apart from and a part of the world.
you are already headed in the right direction if you intentionally work to quiet your mind or train your mind. But you might not be doing it correctly if all you do is try to sit in silence. The main distinction between silence and meditation is the purpose and method you use. Even though we enjoy being still and silent, doing so won’t help you train your brain.
Is Silence Necessary for Meditation?
The best meditators, in theory, are able to live as a part of the world rather than apart from it. You can meditate and focus your mind in any setting if you have spent years practicing meditation. Unfortunately, it is difficult to meditate in a chaotic and noisy environment.
For this reason, many meditators start out in silence. They could designate a location for meditation. In this environment, it is simpler to maintain mental control and pay attention. Practitioners frequently begin their meditations in silence in monasteries. They might eventually be assigned duties or chores to complete while they meditate.
They had advanced to the point where adding a task was now feasible. Their ultimate objective was to continuously meditate while engaging in all of their activities.
Stillness Is Vital, Too
It’s not always easy to tell the difference between silence and meditation. Many people point to meditation’s capacity to sharpen the mind, lower stress levels, and foster serenity. Actually, silence has many of the same effects. You can listen to your mind and your inner thoughts while in complete silence. Silence offers you a chance to get to know yourself better and comprehend your inner motives.
Many people are actually frightened of being silent. They might simply find it uncomfortable to hear their own thoughts. Whatever the reason, they appear uneasy when there is silence. When they are completely silent, their own thoughts are the only sound.
It’s an opportunity to observe how your mind works and how you think, but if that’s not how your mind works, you might not like it. You might relive regret, rage, or desire for retribution during the silence. You need to learn how to calm your mind’s monkey and persuade it to sit down before you can enjoy the silence.
Your mind is purposefully relaxed when you meditate. Numerous sects and cultures have practiced various types of meditation. The main objective is to make sure that you actually practice meditation once you have selected a style that you are willing to try. You’ll eventually come to realize the distinction between meditation and silence.