Category Archives: Inner Silence

Frequently when I talk about inner silence and meditation, I run into someone who says, “Don’t talk to me about meditation. I can’t meditate.” So I know that this is a real problem for a significant number of people. (For the purpose of this blog, the term “meditation” refers to the process of focusing on a single thing, such as the breath, a mantra, or a mandala.)

Since I have identified inner silence as one of the superpowers that’s available to everyone, I want to help, so I’ve regularly asked these people what they mean. I think that the problem is a misunderstanding, and that’s my fault and the fault of others who study and teach various forms of meditation.
Read more about why you’re great at meditating, even if you think you can’t do it.

At the University of Waterloo in 1976, I wrote my thesis on what links all of the different forms of meditation, as well as all of the highest forms of psychology. Although I also demonstrated the differences between these practices, I focused especially on what they all have in common, which is a move towards inner silence.
Read more about my earliest experiences with each of the four fundamental skills.

Test Yourself

In your mind, create an imaginary scale or meter. At one end, there is a number 10 and the words, “I believe this completely.” At the other end, there is a number 1 and the words, “When I say this, I feel like a complete phony.”

Imagine that you’re a debating hall, and whether or not you win the debate depends on how completely you believe the following phrases. Which ones work for you, and which do not?

• We are all one, and I view everyone I see as part of me.
• We’re all connected, and I’m affected by everyone’s problems, feelings, and issues.
• I feel love for everyone in the world, and I have no one left to forgive.

Read more about how I learned to use inner silence to break down the walls between people.