There are thoughts, there is the silence that is the absence of thoughts, and there is the silence that lies behind both your thoughts and their absence.
The first silence, the absence of thoughts, is the silence of the mind; the second silence, the silence that lies behind both your thoughts and their absence, is the silence of the heart.
The silence of the mind is a temporary, fragile state that requires effort to be maintained. The silence of the heart is effortless. It is your nature. It does not need to be cultivated or maintained. It is simply your natural condition.
Many meditation techniques aim at the silence of the mind, and these are perfectly valid. I do not mean to imply any criticism of them, but in this approach we are not concerned with either thoughts or their absence. We simply abide in the peace that is the nature of our being. In fact, it cannot really be said to be a method or a practice; it does not require effort; it is simply to abide as you are.
A painting on the wall is interesting, its absence is boring, but the wall that lies behind both the painting and its absence is neither interesting nor boring. It just is what it is.
Likewise, your thoughts are interesting, their absence is boring, but the presence of awareness that lies behind both your thoughts and their absence is neither interesting nor boring. It just is what it is; you just are what you are, always at peace.
Experience is interesting; its absence is boring; your being is peaceful.
There may be a residual impulse to find something, to become something, to know something. Anything you find, you will lose; anything you become, you will one day cease to be; and anything you know, you will one day forget.
You cannot find your self; you cannot become your self; you cannot know your self objectively, nor need you, for you are always and already your self. And your self is perfectly fulfilled and at peace.
There are three types of meditation: objective meditation, subjective meditation and non-meditation. In objective meditation, you direct your attention towards an object, such as a mantra, the breath, a flame and so on. In subjective meditation, you direct your attention towards the subject. You investigate who is the subject of experience. That is self-enquiry. In non-meditation, you neither direct your attention outwards towards an object nor inwards towards the self. You just abide as you are.
Objective meditation and subjective meditation are something that you as a person do; non-meditation is what you are, simply being.
The silence of the heart is not something to be found at the end of a search. It is what you already are – present and unchanged, whatever the world outside may be carrying. If you would like to rest in that recognition, Living in Peace, Living as Peaceis an invitation to simply abide as you are.
