The Power of Silence

     “Keep silent before me.”  From the Silence springs the new life.  The seed must be first buried in the silence of the earth, away from the noisy clamoring of appearances and circumstances, before it can break its shell and live.  All self resurrection takes place in the silence of the tomb.  Nothing that is born of noise and clatter can survive long.

     There is a vast difference between talking about Truth and talking the Truth.  Talking about Truth does not aid the so-called growth, any more than talking about the principles of music makes a musician.  In reality there is no such thing as growth.  What we call growth is merely becoming more aware of the isness of life.  The more we contemplate the eternal facts of existence the more we seem to grow or progress; yet in reality nothing happens, except that we become more conscious of that which eternally is.  “There is nothing new under the sun,” the principle of the automobile and the radio existed eternally in the Mind which is God.  Man can only become aware of that which is; he can never create anything.  When man is awakened to the glorious facts of existence, he drops the foolish idea that he can change God or the universe, or can induce God to do something for him in the nature of a miracle, by begging or beseeching him to do so.  God is impersonal.  The operation of his law is natural, not miraculous.  Get away from the sickly idea of making a demonstration.  What are you doing between the “so-called” demonstrations?  Living without God?  If “demonstrating” is becoming conscious for a few moments that God is, it follows naturally that when you are not demonstrating you are entirely out of the radius of God’s power.  Where are you, then, between whiles?  And where is God?

     “Awake thou that sleepest.”  Know ye not that you are always in the presence of the one and only power?  Cease from idle chatter about your little good and your little demonstrations.  Come into the full reality of the isness of everything.  Get rid of the asinine words, “miraculous” and “wonderful.”  Is anything wonderful to God?  And is there anywhere he is not?  By hanging on to the idea that something “wonderful” has happened, you introduce into your life mystery, which is the very antithesis of the teachings of Jesus.

     Divest Truth of every bit of mystery.  Lay firm hold on the facts of existence.  Start always from the premise, “it is done.”  Do not hinder your progress with the thought of the future — “Now is the accepted time.”  This is the time to accept the finished and perfect manifestation.  In the Silence recognize the vast possibilities of bringing into visibility the dream of reality that has swept over your inner vision.  “It is done.  It is done.”  Silently and quietly you contemplate this great fact.

    Jesus knew the power of Silence and said: “See that ye tell no man,” knowing well that until the consciousness of man is fully aware of the isness of Life, he would dissipate it by talking about it.  All the energy that should be used for manifestation is wasted talking so much about it.  “That which is told in secret shall be called from the housetop” does not refer to a public scandal: it is a statement of law.  Do not worry that your good or your healing shall not be known; if it is a reality, all the world shall know of it and glorify God, not you.  Fear not.

      In face of this command, “Keep silent and tell no man,” comes the command, “Go tell how the blind receive their sight, and the deaf their hearing,” and again there is this admonition: “Cast not your pearls before swine.”

     What a confusion to one who is still arguing and toiling with the letter, and what a struggle to the person who is making demonstrations and trying to get the “loaves and fishes” out of the Truth!  But what a blessed revelation to that person who has come, even in a degree, to know that neither he nor any one else, no matter how learned or wonderful, is going to change the eternal facts of existence.

     The truth finally dawns on man that “becoming one with the Father” is not a means of making God do his bidding, but rather a chance for man to do the will of God, whose will is good.  Man then moves with the universal tide of peace, and stops his clamoring for things; things will take care of themselves.

     “Be still and know,” has been used by many a one as an occasion to know that God would give him a fur coat or an automobile.  Can God give more than all?  Into what kind of black magic have we strayed when we imagine that by saying a few words, we can draw out of the invisible all manner of things, just as a magician draws rabbits and eggs from his pocket?

     “Except a seed first fall into the ground and die, it shall not live.”  Until we part with all the silly notions we have had about God and his universe, we shall never know the real life which is Spirit — birthless, ageless, and deathless.

     To the person who is awake, “consider the lilies” is about the biggest lesson in the world.  It is a lesson in peace and silence.  A glorious consciousness dawns upon the awakened one, that “it is well” with not only the lily, but with man, when he stops trying to use the Power in a mysterious way to obtain that which is given to him in the open sunlight of God’s love, if he has the courage to take it.  Can anything be changed or added to a finished universe governed by a changeless Power?

     “Keep silent before me.”  If you perceive the Spirit of this message, keep silent.  In due time you shall tell the world by your works, not by your words.  An engine would never get the steam up with all the valves open.  What matter whether the outside world sees anything happening or not?  You know, and it is well.  Fear not.

     In the insect kingdom there is a white ant which lives on wood.  It has been known to eat away the entire framework of a house without being discovered.  Silently and unseen it eats the

rafters and beams.  On the outside nothing seems to be happening — in fact the house may seem as strong as ever — but behold! 

Quite suddenly it collapses and is reduced to nothing.     So it is with one who knows the law, even in a degree.  He is on the inside contemplating the isness of Being.  Every day the rafters and beams of beliefs are giving way, though the man in the street may argue that nothing is happening.  Every time you pray the prayer of the all good, something is taking place on the inside.

     “But see that ye tell no man.”  Why should you waste time telling the world that presently the house will tumble down?  It would only laugh, or perhaps try to prevent it.  Rest assured it

will be seen when it is down.  Watch also that you do not run to the outside of the house to see if anything is happening and so get hypnotized by the appearance; if you do this you are defeated before you begin.  Go within, close your door, and contemplate the Finished Kingdom with thanksgiving and joy, well knowing that the “Father who seeth in secret rewards openly.”  Fear not.

     No more chattering with this one and that one.  You have seen the Vision and “discretion shall preserve thee.”  No matter what this great one or that learned one thinks or believes; you know, so “be still,” remembering that he who can argue on the Truth has not yet heard the Truth.  There is nothing to argue about an established fact, it is and that is all.  God is, and this is all.  Why worry over terms, expressions, this teaching or that teaching?  Be still and know.  Fear not.

 

Walter C. Lanyon