Entering the Silence

“Entering the Silence is an ecstatic state in which the human consciousness is transcended and, while it lasts, all sense of personality is lost.”

Theosophical writings such as The Secret Doctrine contain comprehensive teachings pertaining to our true origin – the Divine Word and Logos – emanating and radiating from out the ETERNAL from which all creation sprung into being. These teachings provide the intellectual stimulus and rationale for following an inner spiritual path, termed in The Voice of the Silence as the “Eye” doctrine. In contrast, the “Heart” doctrine – for the few who engage in definite inner practice (sadhana) – teaches us to draw the scattered outward and excursive attention inwards. This is effected through the processes of abstraction (Pratyâhâra), concentration (Dhâranâ) and entering the silence (Dhyâna); drawing the aspirant ever inwards, back and up, to that ETERNAL state from whence we originated. These practices (generally termed and understood as meditation) and their effects on the life and constitution of the aspirant, are put forth to a superlative degree in the contemplative writing titled The Voice of the Silence.

The end state of Dhyâna is defined by H. P. Blavatsky as a practice to attain: “a state of abstraction which carries the ascetic practicing it far above this plane of sensuous perception and out of the world of matter.”

In order to attain this “state”, she elucidates the process by which this state of abstraction may be attained:

“He who would hear the voice of Nâda, ‘The Soundless Sound’ and comprehend it, he has to learn the nature of Dhâranâ.”

Dhâranâ being the intense and perfect concentration of the mind upon some one interior object, (here the interior object is termed Nâda), accompanied by complete abstraction (Pratyâhâra) from everything pertaining to the external Universe, or the world of the senses.

Fragment 1 of The Voice of the Silence is a sublime exposition of the inner path leading to liberation – destined for all aspirants – which is entered through inner practice. All master-souls agree that it is through meditation and its accompanying transformative (transmuting) effect, that final spiritual illumination and liberation from this world can be attained. It is the contacting of this Nâda, “… the Soundless Sound, that Divine Power which lies veiled behind all the imperfections…” through which one may enter such a path, and thus to “comprehend” or to become one with it; not to be understood as an intellectual study, but rather an experiential one.

Through the practices of concentration and meditation we contact and experience directly our inner Divinity, termed by Blavatsky as the great Word or Logos and variously in The Voice of the Silence as: Nâda, the Soundless Sound, the Soundless Voice, the AUM throughout eternal ages, the voice of Krishna-Christos or the Higher Self, the voice of thy Inner God, Anâhata-śabda*, the Silent Speaker etc.

This is the great secret of this writing, the key that opens The Secret Path, mentioned so often throughout The Voice of the Silence, comprehending the nature of Dhâranâ. Further aphorisms from Fragment I state:

“And this, O Yogi of success, is what men call Dhyâna, the right precursor of Samâdhi.”

This “Soundless Sound”— experiencing the inner mystic sounds and being transformed thereby – is an inner state experienced by the deep meditator who has learned through the practices of Yoga** to still his mind and become receptive to the Great Silence, elaborated in the first fragment of The Voice of the Silence. To attain such an inner experience or state, one must learn the nature of Dhâranâ through spiritual practices. The Voice of the Silence expounds the practices of Dhâranâ and Dhyâna to attain Samâdhi – also called the Samyâma – representing the path of Yoga, fully elaborated in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, pointing to those spiritual practices which lead to liberation from this world of samsâra.

Blavatsky mentions the term Yoga and Yogi 15 times in this writing. Through the preliminary practices of Pratyâhâra – abstraction from the world of senses or the outer sights and sounds – the spiritual aspirant is led ever closer to the truth.

From Fragment 1:

“When he has ceased to hear the many, he may discern the ONE – the inner sound (Nâda) which kills the outer (distractions). Then only, not till then, shall he forsake the region of Asat, the false, to come unto the realm of Sat, the true.”

It is only when we exalt ourselves above the mind, transcend the mind, to the upper regions where, as thought slows down, dissipates and eventually disappears altogether, true change or transformation takes place, transforming our lower self into a regenerated or spiritualized state. This transformation from terrestrial man to the Divine man, can only be effected by the grace of this Power, this Nâda, this Soundless Sound, the Supreme emanation of Divinity. Through the initial practices of Dhâranâ we learn how to enter into Dhyâna proper (the meditative state, entering the Silence) and immerse ourselves and bathe in this inner Power. Then only, not till then, do we see this transient world for what it is and yoke ourselves with increasing love (dedication) to the Supreme.

“Before the soul can comprehend and may remember (its true Divinity), she must unto the Silent Speaker be united.”

True spiritual enlightenment – attaining the above state of comprehension and direct experience or the state of Yoga – transcends what we would normally consider living a good, moral, charitable or religious life; something higher is needed.

Om Tat Sat

*The mystic voices and sounds heard by the Yogi at the incipient stage of his meditation. The third of the four states of sound, otherwise called Madhyamâ—the fourth state being when it is perceptible by the physical sense of hearing. The sound in its previous stages is not heard except by those who have developed their internal, highest spiritual senses. The four stages are called respectively, Parâ, Pashyantî, Madhyamâ and Vaikharî.

**One of the six Darshanas or schools of India; a school of philosophy founded by Patanjali, though the real Yoga doctrine, the one that is said to have helped to prepare the world for the preaching of Buddha, is attributed with good reasons to the more ancient sage Yâjnawalkya, the writer of the Shatapatha Brâhmana, of Yajur Veda, the Brihad Âranyaka, and other famous works.

Also, the practice of meditation as a means of leading to spiritual liberation. Psycho-spiritual powers are obtained thereby, and induced ecstatic states lead to the clear and correct perception of the eternal truths, in both the visible and invisible universe.

Also, the word “Yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit root “Yuj”, meaning “to yoke” or “to unite”. As per Yogic scriptures the practice of Yoga leads to the union of individual consciousness with that of the Universal Consciousness or the Higher Self, the Sat-guru.

The Voice of the Silence – Free Download