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The Silence
In a recent talk on the Wake Up platform, its founder, Alex Guerra, spoke with Manu Mariño, an experienced meditation teacher and director of Quietude: Institute of Contemplative Sciences. Throughout the conversation, Mariño shared his vision on the meaning of silence, meditation and how we can find inner peace in the midst of everyday noise, both external and internal.
Silence: Much More than the Lack of Sound
Mariño offers us a different vision of silence: it is not only the absence of noise. Unlike what is commonly believed, silence is a state of being. According to him, “Silence is a state, a state of being… for me it is what we are”. This reflection invites us to see silence not only as a physical phenomenon, but as a profound mental and spiritual experience.
Intention and Silence
Mariño also mentions that forcing the search for silence can have the opposite effect. When we try to “reach” that state of stillness, we do it with a conscious intention, which can end up creating more mental noise. “When you want to get to that place of silence, you’re not going to get there, because it’s a self wanting to do something,” he comments. The key, according to Mariño, is to let silence arise naturally, as an expression of who we really are.
Silence in Unexpected Moments
One of the most revealing moments of the interview was when Mariño shared his most profound experience of silence, which curiously did not occur during a meditation retreat, but at a Bruce Springsteen concert. Despite the loud sound of the event, he lived that instant with complete inner silence, with a mind free of thoughts that allowed him to feel absolute peace and clarity. “My greatest experience of silence was at a Bruce Springsteen concert… my state was totally contemplative, without interference of thoughts,” explained Mariño.
Happiness and Absence of Thoughts
Finally, Mariño reflects on the relationship between inner silence and happiness. For him, true happiness arises when there are no interfering thoughts. Recalling a traditional teaching, he mentions: “Happiness reigns in the absence of thoughts”. This idea invites us to rethink how our thoughts and inner noise impact our ability to be at peace and feel happy.
In short
The conversation between Alex Guerra and Manu Mariño leaves us with a new way of understanding silence and meditation. Beyond considering it as a simple lack of sound, Mariño shows us that true silence is a state that we can reach even in the noisiest moments of life. For those seeking calm in a hectic world, his reflections are a valuable guide to begin to explore silence from a new perspective.
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