The Word of Eternal Silence. 49 Steps of Spiritual Ascent

It is never too late to come to the Divine Mother who dwells within us; her doors are open to everyone.

«Every morning we are born again. And what we do today will be of the greatest importance.» (Buddha)

Don’t put it off. Start changing your life here and now. The closer you get to Silence, the more of life’s problems will become a thing of the past. The ship will begin to emerge from stormy waters, the clouds will make way for clear skies. Life will be transformed. The main thing is to set a goal and pursue it day after day.

But most people are lost in this world and continue to ignore the voice of Silence. This is why humanity is considered to be wandering in a desert, unable to reach the promised land. All these wanderings, which develop into cumulative worries and anxieties, can negatively impact mental health. Enlightened figures of all religions have called on people to return to Silence, to find it within themselves, for only it can grant peace of mind and comfort. Great inventors have derived their ideas from it, composers and writers — inspiration for brilliant works, and prophets have drawn information about future events.

Let me quote a famous composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, about Silence:

«Music is the silence that lives between sounds.»

According to the sages, the soul, languishing in the human body, loses its connection with its Divine Mother, Eternal Silence, and weeps, finding itself in a world alien to it. Intuitively, a person yearns throughout their life to return, as they were most protected in the womb. Likewise, the soul yearns to return to its Divine Mother, Eternal Silence, to experience peace and harmony.

Taking a short detour and turning to the secret doctrine, esoteric teachings say that by visiting synagogues, churches, or temples, a person returns, as it were, to the bosom of the mother. This is why houses of worship feel so peaceful and calm; they offer a sense of comfort and protection. It is human nature to seek solace in religious buildings. Understanding this, spiritual teachers of the past called for the construction of houses of worship and temples throughout the world, so that man, or rather, his soul, could at least temporarily connect with the Divine Mother. This is why the well-known phrase says: «Return to the bosom of the Church.» We will return to the esoteric side of this issue in subsequent chapters.

There are two paths to Silence: one that requires spiritual development, and one that is financial and emotional. The second path involves all methods that differ from the spiritual and can provide short-term pleasure. If a person doesn’t realize that this is only a temporary solution and that they need to seek comfort and emotional improvement within themselves, this can, at best, lead to mild addiction; at worst, it can lead to compulsion.

There’s a lot of talk these days about compulsive behavior, characterized by a lack of rational explanation for one’s actions and behavior. A person loses control of their mind and doesn’t realize how much they’re shopping or eating. They go to the store for one thing and end up buying a bunch of things they don’t need. The same thing applies to eating: instead of eating their normal amount, they eat more, without controlling how much they consume. At some point, they may even realize they’re over-shopping or overeating, that it’s hurting their finances or their figure, but they can’t do anything about it.

Before we move on to the importance of controlling your actions on the path to Silence, let’s recall a few examples of how people try to deal with anxieties, fears, and worries:

— make compulsive purchases;

— eat without controlling the amount of food;

— they sit aimlessly on the Internet and social networks.

To understand the root of the problem, we need to examine each point in more detail. It’s important to know that, beyond spiritual practices where the pursuit of Silence is conscious, everyone sometimes comes into contact with inner Silence and comfort without realizing it. As we mentioned above, this can manifest itself during shopping. You’re probably familiar with this pleasant feeling, that inner Light, when you feel good and calm. While shopping, inner comfort awakens within us, meaning we experience inner Silence and moral satisfaction, but after a while, we become separated from it again, and apathy sets in. To regain this divine Light, a person is forced to make more and more purchases.

This is because, over time, the level of enjoyment from shopping declines, and to regain the same pleasure, you need to make more purchases. But not everyone has the opportunity to increase their purchases. For those who do, and more purchases no longer bring pleasure, emotional devastation sets in. This is the very state of separation from Silence. The Divine Light has once again left the body — Silence, that is, the human soul, has fallen asleep once more.

For some, a sense of inner Silence, of divine Light, manifests when they win a competition or receive a promotion. This feeling of satisfaction, confidence in their abilities and the future, indicates that Luck has visited them. But such processes are not eternal; instead, they are unique events. Maintaining this level is impossible, and so, when the mundane sets in, apathy sets in. To reconnect with Silence, they need to evoke pleasant experiences once again, and sometimes even increase their dose. For example, winning first place not at school, but at a citywide competition, or buying not one item of clothing, but two.

A person is willing to do anything to regain that divine Light within, that unforgettable feeling of confidence and comfort. As a result, they become Light-dependent. They begin to measure their life only by those moments when they felt good, when they were at the summit, when the Inner Light dwelt within them. Unable to climb the mountain again, they begin to feel sad, having returned to the mundane level, having descended from heaven to earth. This is spoken of in virtually all secret teachings.

Although there’s nothing wrong with shopping — after all, the encounter with Silence is purchased with one’s own money — over time, inner satisfaction gives way to a decline in energy and apathy. And to return to a sublime state, one must make more and more purchases. In some countries, treatment has already begun for shopaholics, as such people lose control of their actions, acting instinctively, becoming psychologically dependent on new acquisitions, and falling into financial difficulties.

The same applies to gambling, intimate relationships, and other addictions. Over time, feelings become dulled, and people begin to experiment with all sorts of things, hoping to recapture those old emotions. But this path will only lead to further devastation and burnout.

«The awareness of one’s imperfections brings one closer to perfection.» (Johann Goethe)

Consciously or reflexively, we all strive to get closer to Silence: some do this by overshopping, overeating, and sometimes even resorting to various forms of manipulation, which is strictly prohibited. Sages say that in the spiritual worlds, just as in this one, there are guardians. And if you illicitly enjoy yourself, you will be pursued in the spiritual world, captured, and forced to leave its confines immediately. Unlike spiritual seekers, who descend smoothly into this world, those who illicitly enter it are rudely cast out. Therefore, for those who try to obtain the Light by resorting to various manipulations, euphoria quickly gives way to prolonged depression and irritability. They long to return there, to once again experience, if only for a moment, the inner Silence. Unlawful intrusion into the world of Silence through various forms of manipulation is very dangerous not only for one’s physical but also for one’s mental health.

«He is strong who controls his weaknesses.»

(Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic)

Mindfulness can help a person regain control over their actions and thought processes. Without tracking and recording their current experiences, they will continue to wander chaotically through life. To better understand the benefits of a mindful perception of the world, I’ll give an example that everyone has likely encountered. I’ll talk about overeating and excess weight in modern society. Even the previous generation consumed significantly less food, but people were quite healthy and strong, despite the poor quality of medicine. In modern psychology, the problem of overeating is now associated with unconscious consumption, meaning a person loses control of their mind and thoughts. We overeat to drive away negative, tormenting thoughts, «eating away problems,» that is, consuming more food than the body requires. This leads to metabolic imbalances and excess weight, which has become one of the problems facing humanity in the 21st century.

«To enjoy good health, to create true happiness for your family, to bring peace to all, you must first tame and control your own mind.

If a person can control his mind, he will be able to find the path to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.» (Buddha)

It’s important to understand that a person has the ability to create a new dose of happiness whenever they choose. It’s like meeting your beloved mother, who’s sitting in the next room, waiting for you to finally remember her. She’ll happily respond to your request, listen attentively, and offer wise advice.

With the birth of a child into the material world and the cutting of the umbilical cord, this connection is lost, but inwardly, a person strives throughout life to return to that state. This is the allegorical meaning of the Fall. We have lost our place in paradise and do everything we can to return, even for a moment, to a place of peace and comfort, to touch Silence.

Yes, we all internally strive for Light, for pleasure, for a meeting with the Divine Mother. A person develops their behavior patterns in such a way as to enjoy inner comfort as often as possible.

While shopping addiction, overeating, and promiscuity were widely discussed issues in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, the last decade has seen the emergence of an additional tool that suppresses the will and causes addiction: the Internet.

Today, the world is more information-rich than ever, and people need to keep up with it to stay informed: news, exchange rates, weather, the latest fashion trends, and much more. This makes people more restless and takes up some of their attention, resulting in anxiety and nervous breakdowns, and can lead to loss of balance.

But it must be acknowledged that in modern society, it’s impossible to exist without smartphones, the internet, and other means of communication. They’re part of our lives. To avoid being overwhelmed by the volume of information and to be successful, it’s essential to learn to control this process and devote time to personal development and spiritual growth. According to recent research, people spend most of their time online ineffectively. Therefore, it’s important to use the internet only as much as necessary to complete specific tasks, and devote the freed-up time to family and spiritual practices.

«Only he who controls himself is free.» (Friedrich Schiller)

When it comes to internet addiction, the desire for recognition and that fleeting glow, we can compare the pleasure of new purchases to a successful post or photo on social media that garners a lot of likes and comments. Perhaps it attracts special attention or makes a person popular at work, with family, or in the city. They feel a surge of strength and say, «Finally, luck has found me, and now it will always be like this.» But when the next photo gets fewer likes, that is, attracts less attention from others, their strength begins to fade, and they think, «What else can I do to re-engage my followers?» Adults can approach such phenomena relatively calmly, but for teenagers, it can be psychologically traumatic. Therefore, in pursuit of likes, young people take photos on the roofs of speeding trains, on the edge of sheer cliffs, and jump from heights. All this is done with one goal in mind: to regain attention, to gain some recognition and satisfaction. But now, experts, having realized the danger this poses, have begun to talk about therapy for internet addiction.

These questions are not raised in this book to exalt some and demean others. All the examples are intended to highlight the problems of modern society and encourage change. The first thing a spiritual seeker must understand on the path to Silence is that addictions and unconscious behaviors distance them from their main goal, and only by learning to control them will they be able to further climb the mountain of Silence. This is the essence of one of the main commandments of the enlightened: «Know thyself.» This dictum was inscribed on the wall of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, where the Delphic Oracle was located. Without deep and honest self-analysis, the efforts undertaken will not have the desired effect.

«It is easier to wrap the whole sky in a small cloth than to find true happiness without knowing oneself.» (Vedas. Upanishads)

It’s important to understand that most of the problems outlined above can be resolved by recognizing them and acting consciously. One must regain control of one’s mind; this will create inner order and bring Peace back into one’s life.

All the sages of the past spoke of consciously performing actions, as this is how one can temporarily stop the flow of thoughts and allow a person to have some measure of control over their lives. You might not realize it, but all religious prescriptions and commandments regarding eating, prayer, and handwashing have a secret purpose: to make people more mindful. If, every time before eating, a person considers what ingredients are used in this dish, whether they washed their hands thoroughly, and so on, they will momentarily switch off their thoughts and awaken. And the more often they do this, the more successful they will be in real life. Some religions even include instructions and recommendations on how many times, in which direction, and at what time to pray, which foot to get out of bed with, which hand to start washing hands with, and much more. All of this, of course, is not without a purpose. Beyond the religious significance, on a deeper level, it is intended to repeatedly awaken a person’s mind, making their life more conscious.

You might ask why I pay special attention to tracking my current experiences. Because, according to the enlightened minds of the past and all secret teachings, mindfulness is one of the most important companions, a guide to the world of harmony and Silence.

«If we are not aware of what is happening within us, then from the outside it seems to us that it is fate.» (Carl Jung)

What will mindfulness give you:

* control over actions;

* control over words;

* control over actions;

* mind control;

* control over life.

Metaphorically speaking, you’ll stop crossing the road on a street where there are no traffic lights and cars are speeding, and instead head to a place where everyone obeys the rules of the road. Much will change in a person’s life once they’ve discovered themselves and begun the journey to Silence.

«Just as a mirror shines when cleaned of dust, so those who have known themselves shine in mind and body. They are always and eternally filled with happiness.» (Vedas. Upanishads)

Mindfulness is a certain amount of control over the thoughts that plague the mind. Humanity’s fundamental problem is its unwillingness to understand itself, to uncover the deep roots of its problems. People are accustomed to routine, to living with thoughts wandering uncontrollably through their heads, and therefore fear being alone with Silence, turning on the television or making a phone call. Silence frightens them, despite the fact that it is precisely this silence that brings peace and comfort.

When you begin practicing, you’ll notice how frightening and unfamiliar Silence sounds at first. That’s why the sages recommend approaching it gradually, as if climbing a spiritual ladder. During your first meditations, you may experience inner restlessness and discomfort, but don’t be alarmed. Why does this happen? Why, when a person closes their eyes and tries to concentrate, does fear overwhelm them? It’s because Silence resides in the darkness, in a cave, while people in the material world are accustomed to being in the light. But those who have walked the path will say that in this world, man wanders in the darkness, while true light lies near Silence. Only an encounter with the inner Divine Mother can give us happiness and peace of mind.

«There is no happiness equal to peace.» (Buddha)

I’d like to draw your attention to one important detail: Silence is not silence, as it might seem at first glance. During silence, you continue to think, just as you would when listening to someone, but the flow of thoughts still rushes in different directions. That’s why these two concepts are not identical.

Silence can be external, in a closed room. But it can also be internal, when we begin to control our thought processes, our minds fall silent, and allow the words of Higher Wisdom to penetrate.

It was precisely this Silence that spiritual teachers spoke of. Having experienced the power of Eternal Silence, the divine light emanating from It, a person will never be the same again. All great people of the past at some point encountered it. The search for this divine, mystical Light takes different amounts of time for each person, but even by approaching the Silence just a little, one can see how life and the world around them change.

A person should climb the Mountain of Eternal Silence not through various manipulations, but through persistent spiritual work. It’s no coincidence that all the sages meditated for months and even years in desolate places: deserts or caves. They were doing the very thing described in this book — reaching their inner Silence. Yes, the path to it is not quick, but it is the only true path.

To summarize, Silence is our connection to the Highest Wisdom, whose voice was hidden. In ancient Egypt, this was associated with the All-Seeing Eye, the radiant Delta at the top of the pyramid, reached by 49 spiritual steps. In mystical teachings, the path to Eternal Silence is called the road to a higher state of consciousness, an ascent through the spiritual worlds.

CHAPTER TWO

Eternal Silence in Religious Texts

Not everyone will immediately recall Silence mentioned in religious texts. The fact is that it is mentioned under different names in all religions. In some esoteric teachings, where Silence is given a special place, it is called the counterpart of God, the feminine aspect of the Creator, the other half. In monotheistic religions, where God is one and unitary, it is called an attribute of God, or the divine Voice, a voice from Heaven.

According to the sages, the closer we are to Silence, the better and clearer we can hear its voice. This divine Voice, which proclaims the highest will and bestows revelations, is different from the one we constantly hear in our heads. The enlightened assert that to attain a higher level of revelation, a person must silence the voice they constantly hear in their heads and raise their consciousness to a higher level. It is important to understand that the power of the mystical voice resounding within a person depends on how high the spiritual seeker has climbed the pyramid of Silence, that is, on the inner work they have completed. However, all esoteric teachings pay attention to a certain mysterious Voice that spoke to the enlightened and the prophets.

If in the Jewish tradition the Voice from Heaven is not mentioned in the Scripture itself, then in the Gospel this mystical voice is spoken of directly.

I will give two quotes from the Gospels of Matthew and John.

«And behold, a voice from heaven said, „This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.“» (Matthew 3:17)

«Father, glorify Your name.» Then a voice came from heaven: «I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.» (John 12:28)

I would like to once again draw your attention to the fundamental difference between the religious and esoteric approaches. In religion, this Voice is heard from without, while in mystical teachings, it is not an external voice, but an internal one. It can only be heard in solitude or with great concentration. The path to the divine Voice is thorny and winding. Eternal Silence hides within each of us — according to one theory, in the heart; according to a more mystical one, in the pineal gland. A Savior can lead us to Silence: Horus in Egyptian history, Jesus in Christian history, Irenaeus in Gnostic history, and the Messiah in Jewish history. Only by following the inner Savior can a person overcome all difficulties, ascend the spiritual pyramid, and meet their divine mother.

Essentially, all religions speak of the same thing: there is a whole world within a person, and to see improvements on the outside, transformations from within are required. This is the formula for a new person in a new era. Many teachings and religions speak of a transition to a new era. Some call it the Age of Aquarius, others the Age of the Holy Spirit, and in secret teachings, this era is called the Age of Inner Silence or the Age of Eternal Silence. A person, as a Microcosm, can prepare themselves for the coming changes so that the new reality does not catch them off guard. Allow me to present, not the abbreviated version of the introduction, but the full version of the quote about Eternal Silence by the monk Silouan (Simeon) of Athos (1866—1938):

«There is an eternal Silence, which is also called the Great Silence. It always abides in the world, but the world does not abide in It, for it has forgotten what Silence is. The Great Silence is constant, It is always full and fills all that exists.

This Secret Silence lies at the foundation of all that exists. It is inaudible, yet from it is born everything we hear. The Great Silence resides in the very depths of the heart. It is always humble and quiet, yet near It, all restless thoughts, desires, and passions subside, earthly attachments vanish, all vanity fades, and all pride is humbled.

The Great Silence is unassuming and modest, humble and humble, but it allows no one to rule over it and subjugates no one. It remains always free and gracious and will remain with us forever, just as our Lord Jesus Christ promised us — «and the promise which He made to us is eternal life» (1 John 2:25). For He dwells in the pure heart as Love, which is infinite Silence and the unending peace of the Holy Spirit.

Alas, humanity has forgotten the eternal Silence, yet enlightened beings of all generations have continued to sing its praises. In Eastern traditions, it is known as the third eye, which was once hidden. At the beginning of time, people were endowed with this externally invisible organ, and therefore possessed the gift of prophecy and a special intuition. During the activation of the third eye, a person remained in silence for most of the time, transmitting information over a distance through silent thought. But then, due to human ignorance, the word emerged, the third eye was hidden, and humanity plunged into spiritual darkness and ignorance.

The same motif is familiar to us from the story of the Garden of Eden, where, after biting into an apple, the first humans lost their place in paradise, where they had the opportunity to directly communicate with the Creator. And in more modern interpretations, in fairy tales about the princess who bit into the apple and fell into a deep sleep. This princess is also commonly called the soul princess or the soul beauty, as she resides within each of us in a dormant state. Only by awakening her, even briefly, will a person gradually begin to return their consciousness to a higher level. The path to this is long, but anyone who begins to develop these abilities will gain a competitive advantage in various areas of life. They will become calmer, their actions more balanced, and the results of their inner transformation will be visible to everyone around them.