Fear of Silence Mind Map

Do you fear silence? If so, why? The fear of silence mind map covers some potential reasons and solutions for overcoming fear of silence.

In order to transcend a fear of silence, as with any other fear you wish to conquer, you need to become comfortable with silence.

The main reason for being uncomfortable with silence is simply lack of familiarity with it; fearing the unknown. Essentially the mind comes up with reasons to fear silence or feel uncomfortable with it and therefore justify why it feels uneasy and ultimately seek ways to avoid it. Avoiding fear doesn’t transcend fear it only postpones or delays it. To transcend fear of silence you have to meet it head-on.

The mind is used to noise, from waking up to throughout the day, and the constant noises around us. Have you ever considered that the silent you is closer to the real you than the noisy you? Noise as in your thoughts, words and actions that form the daily you under which there is also a quieter you. Have you ever considered that it is impossible to be lonely on a planet with over 6.8 billion people even if at times you “feel” lonely? Where have you gone when you feel lonely? Into your thoughts!

Silence is a beautiful realm available to relax, refresh and revitalise us. It welcomes us any time we choose to visit. Silence offers unconditional acceptance, a place beneath ego, judgment and identity. Once the mind settles, silence embraces you in peace and effortless acceptance. Listening to silence takes no effort, once thoughts fade, or during the gaps between thoughts or noise you can hear silence. Beneath and between noises silence is there always.

If the silent you is the real you what is the noisy you? Perhaps the noisy you is your need of distraction, the minds desire to seek entertainment and external acknowledgment of identity. Often silence is associated with sleep, meditation, nothingness, boredom, inactivity, perhaps even considered weird or spooky. Whatever the label, the fear is essentially a lack of association with silence.

When quiet perhaps you feel guilty for “doing nothing” or maybe doubts, fears and worries creep in – all of which are thoughts trying to convince you that silence is something odd or fearful. It’s a bit like fearing you might drown in a brief shower of rain.

What makes you fear silence? Beneath the reasons the link is your thoughts. Your thoughts can stop you effortlessly exploring silence. Two key points; your thoughts can stop you exploring silence and exploring silence is effortless. If you pay no attention to your thoughts telling you a story about silence and if you recognise that you need do nothing special or in particular to access silence you are free to acknowledge and enjoy silence. How? You only ever have to listen. Regular listening transcends fear of silence.

You listen to noises and the coming and going of noises, the gaps before, between and after noises. You listen to thoughts coming and going and the gaps before, between and after thoughts.

As you become more accustomed to the listening, you become more and more aware of silence and with practice you can develop patience to wait for noises, external or internal to pass. Most noises are quite brief, although occasionally an alarm might sound and the noise seems constant; it may be continuous yet it won’t last indefinitely so the best thing to do is surrender to the noise, which means not to resist it and simply wait. Wait until the noise subsides and then observe silence once again. In the meantime listen to the noise totally and wait patiently.

If you listen to birdsong, their call comes from silence, has gaps and fades back to silence once again. If you listen to music, most music has gaps and of course silence exists before and after the song.

Silence is a meeting place of universal acceptance and equality where the entire planet meets at or on the same level. The entire planet meaning humans, animals, birds; the whole of nature and life.

Silence is the backdrop to life, the blank canvas on which you paint your experiences of being.

The antidote to a fear of silence is to listen and in listening, you’ll notice something incredible, something wonderful and awe inspiring – silence heals.

In summary, to combat any fear of silence, you only need to remember one word.

Listen.

Recommended reading:

“Stillness Speaks” by Eckhart Tolle