It's "golden," of course, whatever it is.
A lot of people would answer my question by saying that "silence" is the absence of "sound" or "noise."
I find myself thinking about what the 17th century Jewish-Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza said of "peace:"
"peace is not mere absence of war, but is a virtue that spring from, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."This sentiment has been repeated in many ways, by many people, in many times and places.
Is "silence" like this? Is it also not merely the absence of something, but a think on its own? Is it not just an absence but, instead, a presence? Many contemplative/meditative traditions talk about entering, sinking into, or resting in silence. This suggests to me that these traditions understand it to be something.
Have you ever thought of silence like this? If so, how has that effected your understanding of the life of the spirit? If not, how do you think it might do so?
Pax tecum,
RevWik
