“All real spiritual Masters teach meditation in silence.”
– Sri Chinmoy
This statement baffles the mind. We are used to learning using words, reason and analysis. Our mind sees itself as the seat of perception, the instrument of learning, caretaker of knowledge and curator of wisdom, while outside of itself is only blind ignorance.
Yet meditation calls for a silent mind, from which the mind’s cognitive repertoire of thoughts, words and concepts are banished. To reach silence, we needs must learn the language of silence, which can only be learned, in silence.
Sri Chinmoy continues:
“In school you have a teacher who is teaching you and offering his wisdom-light to you through language. In the spiritual life also, the teacher teaches through language. But the language of the spiritual teacher is meditation. Meditation is the inner language, and the teacher teaches meditation through silence.”
– Sri Chinmoy
But how can the teacher teach, and how can we learn, in silence?
Just look at a baby. The greater part of all we ever learn about life, we learn in our first six months. Does the baby learn with words, thoughts, reasoning? No! A baby learns by observation, imitation, assimilation and application. There is no mind involved, because the baby has not yet developed the mind. Ironically, there is no greater barrier to learning in our entire existence, than our mind.
The most direct route to learning meditation is to be as a baby, and learn from a Master:
“When a genuine spiritual Master meditates, Peace, Light and Bliss descend from above and enter into the sincere seeker. Then automatically he learns how to meditate from within.
“If you want to be under the guidance of a spiritual Master, the Master’s silent gaze will teach you how to meditate.”
– Sri Chinmoy