The Truth Is In The Silence

Nick Bibeau

Truth is in Silence. Silence speaks. We look for the truth in words, ideas, or concepts. But the purest truth is only heard in the spaces between these noises.

Silence can be intimidating. Many people are afraid to be alone with their minds so much that they attempt to fill up every possible silent moment with external noise (talking, social media, music, etc…) or internal noise (thinking).

It can take some courage to face Silence. To sit in Silence. But the truth which is revealed to us in the Silence is unparalleled.

I am aware of the irony of using words, writing in this case, to argue that words cannot bring us to the ultimate truth. But in this case, I’m attempting to use words to point to a reality beyond words, just as many great spiritual leaders have for centuries.

In today’s article, we will do this. Reflect on the words of three great spiritual teachers. One from each of the last three generations. Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950). Ram Dass (1931–2019). And Eckhart Tolle (1948-Today).

This message has been around since the earliest recorded human writing. We see it in the Upanishad and ancient texts. Today we will point to three relatively modern sages who attempt to articulate this timeless wisdom.

Using words as tools to see the slices they are pointing. To help us “hear” the Silence. The truth is beyond the noise.

Ramana Maharshi

Ramana Maharshi realized the surest way to truth was in Silence. He was reported to have sat in Silence for over ten years. However, he eventually saw that his students and followers weren’t “hearing” this same truth. He decided he would try talking as a tool to point them back to the fact within the Silence.

Ramana would say things like, “Silence is never-ending speech. Vocal speech obstructs the other’s speech of Silence. In Silence, one is in intimate contact with the surroundings. Language is only a medium for communicating one’s thoughts to another. Silence is ever speaking.”

Ram Dass

Ram Dass had an incredible talent for speaking. He traveled the world for years and gave improvised lectures on the spiritual journey and ultimate truth. But he was always aware and addressed the irony of this practice.

He would say, “We’re fascinated by the words — but where we meet is in the silence behind them — The quieter you become, the more you can hear.”

At age 66, Ram Dass experienced a stroke. Or, as he put it, “was stroked.” The damage to his brain was severe and left him unable to speak as fluently as he had for most of his life. They forced him to speak slower and often with long pauses between words.

On one level, we could see this as tragic. A man with an incredible gift for fluent articulate speech had lost his superpower. But on the other hand, Ram Dass still held and spoke the most profound spiritual truths after the stroke. He said slower, with more space for the silences. More room for the deeper truth in between the words to sing.

I love listening to pre-stroke Ram Dass lectures more than any other spiritual teacher. However, post-stroke Ram Dass has a profound and unique quality that is even more beautiful and enlightening.

Echart Tolle

Echart Tolle is a bit of a modern spiritual superstar. His books have sold millions of copies, and Tolle has become one of the most internationally recognized spiritual teachers.

His message is straightforward. Be present. Be still. Be silent. We can live our lives, make plans, and have goals, but ultimately here and now is who we are.

Tolle writes and speaks very eloquently about Silence and gives beautiful pointers. Here are two of my favorites:

To listen to the Silence, wherever you are, is an easy and direct way of becoming present. Even if there is noise, there is always some silence underneath and between the sounds.

“Silence is Golden; it has divine power and immense energy. Try to pay more attention to the Silence.