Listening Through The Silence - The Path To Clarity

‘In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.’ Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)

This quote has been the quiet source of my inspiration over recent weeks; it has led me on a journey within, to rest in the stillness that resides there. It is undoubtedly hard (particularly for this airy Libran!) to cut through the clutter and chaos that the mind and everyday life presents; but with perseverance, it is possible to allow the soul to find its path in ‘crystal clearness’.

For a great many of us at the present time, life is full of challenges. Challenges connected to the path ahead, to our beliefs, choices and gifts. It can be hard to know whether we are coming or going, going or coming, or whether we have gone and got lost somewhere in between!

Doubt and fear can creep into our psyches if we allow it, and of course, for a great many of us, the real world creates anxiety and practical challenges such as paying bills, buying food, having shelter etc. Whilst these needs are basic, for the soul to truly flourish in ‘crystal clearness’, we need to find a way to step beyond the fears connected to these basic needs to a place deeper within, where we can feel truly nourished and nurtured. Of course, this place will not pay the bills, nor will it put food on the table, but it will help us to keep a clear perspective and balanced outlook on our true priorities in life.

There is a need to simplify now, to cut back the clutter and to focus on what’s truly important. We need to trust that when we can connect to our true priorities, our needs will be taken care of. This is much easier said than done, but unless we do this with 100% conviction and belief, we will never truly know what trust and faith is.

Knowing thyself is a vital part of our journey in life, yet being thyself is surely the most important thing? How many of us allow ourselves to simply be? There is a great difference between knowing and being (take a moment in silence and ‘feel’ the difference, for it is great). Knowing suggests wisdom and understanding, whereas being suggests acceptance and a deeper sense of understanding.

Similarly, there is a great difference between knowing our paths in life and being our paths.

Dr Ronald Bissell wrote ‘ Knowing your path and being your path can make all the difference in your life. Each day when I wake from my nightly dreams I feel refreshed and renewed. I see that a new day has dawned and that I can continue my journey toward my life long goals. I can see it clearly and can reflect upon where I’ve been and where I’m going. It is an intellectual exercise designed to give me comfort amid what at times seems like a world full of turmoil and the carelessness of the few.

Underneath that cover of intellectual pursuit is the true self that acts as a guide throughout life. It nudges us when needed and prods us to ‘become our best’ and to ‘strive to become a better person’. It allows us latitude to become all we can become. It brings life to what could be a lifeless soul and gives purpose and design to our every move.

It is the purpose of our path that we should examine. Are we here to simply exist or are we here to create change and to move our world in the direction of our hearts? Can we be the path we dream or is our path simply an intellectual exercise that gives us superficial reasons for being? There is a huge difference between knowing your path and being your path for being takes determination and effort. Being places you in charge of the present moment and causes your world to become grounded in the beliefs of your soul.

Being your path is an active measure of your determination to follow your heart’s dream into the future of your choice. It marks your place in the universe and gives all you meet the knowledge of who you are. You can’t hide when you are your path and you can’t shade your path from the eyes of all you meet. You become a naked soul and within that nakedness you let go of all the old baggage that once held you hostage. You become like a laser that burns brightly amid the darkness of our world.

In becoming your path you exercise your right to be who you are. You become whole and in turn allow others to see the brilliance of your soul. You radiate to all you meet the essence of your soul and in turn cause them to examine and to re-examine their way. You begin a healing process that affects all you touch.

Knowing your path is an intellectual exercise that gives you ‘a warm fuzzy’ that provides a false sense of security. Being your path creates a solid foundation from which you can live your life and cause change in your world. Being your path provides the answers to questions that create disharmony in life and brings your life into focus.

Being your path brings understanding. It provides the evidence needed to become all you can be. It gives you the tools to begin your life anew and sows the seeds of your future within the context of the present moment. It gives clarity to an unclear world.

In being your path you create the fire of transcendence and see clearly and without effort the path before you. You become the truth of who you are and live your life amid the beauty and silence of your perfect soul’.

These are wise words, and it seems that being our paths and seeing clearly before us the truth of ourselves and of our lives is what’s called for now.

Through the chaos and the clutter, we need to find out what truly makes our hearts sing. We need to live in joy, to live in trust and to live in love. That stillness which creates clarity is the key to a joyful life, and it is that stillness that can unlock the truth of who we are and enable us to live fully in the moment, being our paths.

This is not an easy journey, but then again, which soul would choose a path without learning, development, growth or evolution? Life is meant to present challenges, and it is meant to test us. We each have a choice now connected to how we choose to live. We may need to prune our lives right back to the bare bone to re-connect to what’s truly important, but when we re-flower, there will be real joy and delight in the new blossoms that grow, for they will have meaning and purpose, and we can each truly understand the focus, effort and determination involved in allowing the silence to bring us crystal clearness.

It is a re-awakening of sorts, a time to realise that it’s not about what we have in life, but it is about why we are here and enjoying the experience. We may need to shift our perspectives, and to be patient when the going seems tough or against us, but if we can stay connected in the moment and remember to ‘be’ our paths, the confusion will float away and we will be left with a profoundly beautiful clarity about life and the path ahead.

The silence is getting louder now, and each of us needs to listen...