Why are so many people obsessed with silence, staticity, a passiveness?

[Gem]

I think what it comes down to is this: The equanimity of mind enables a person to respond, rather than react.

Originally Posted by Hadit

4
I'm wondering why the majority of occultists or other practitioners are often obsessed with silencing their minds.

It's to provide a blank "canvas" on which things can manifest as a result of pure consciousness, if you want to learn what's going on at a deeper level than conscious awareness or if you're intent on psychic development, you won't want things cluttered so you can't tell whether you're wilfully imagining stuff or just letting it surface or "come down" (as in inspiration). One of the "demons" faced by sorcerers and their apprentices is delusion, when your willed imagination and urge to rationalise interfere with the mysteries attempting to rise from within, from which you may draw wrong conclusions.

Having said that, I've never met anyone who can bring their mind to a complete blank for more than a few seconds.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by revolver

You have no idea of what to be silent means, do you remember the verse, "Be still and know that I am God"?
The mind wants to chatter all the time, that's its job, but when we are in silence the mind is forgotten, in this silence
we come into contact with our inner being.
Because the mind is silent we feel full...
this is our true inner being, our true self.

In meditation when the mind is silent, we then become full of energy, not static.
Truth is forever flowing, this silence connects us to truth...

The ego likes to be doing something all the time, that's its fuel,
the ego see's others who are in mediation or just doing nothing, as boring,
because the chatter and the strong urge to be doing something takes first place in that mind.

Well said!

Very clearly put...for someone that can get what you are saying.
Thank you, I now have nothing to add...

Oh, except from the clarity of touching this deep peace from meditation...our actions are
then so much more
fruitful; coming from a more centered place. Ahh..

Originally Posted by Hadit

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law,

I'm wondering why the majority of occultists or other practitioners are often obsessed with silencing their minds. Meditation need not silence the mind but can be used for intense focus and visualization. All ritual and all spiritualism can survive in the mind alone, why do people try to clear it out? Likewise, why are people obsessed with being static? Clearing the mind, taking things as they come, turning the other cheek... Be active! Cause change! Evolve! I don't understand why people want to sit back and fade away.

Love is the law, love under will.

Meditation can be useful in many ways.

For those who are attracted to the idea of silencing the mind, it is possibly because that is something that will benefit them.

For those that are attracted to visualisation, it is possibly because that is something that will benefit them.

For those that are attracted to active meditation, it is possibly because that is something that will benefit them.

For those that are attracted to creating change, it is possibly because that is something that will benefit them.

For myself, I've been meditating for many many years, and at different times I've found myself drawn to different styles of meditative practise. ALL of them have been useful for that time. So, I wouldn't say that any of them are the one and only way... but accept that others practise in a way that may fulfil their own needs at that time.

I have found for myself contemplation (focusing on one thing) and walking meditations (labyrinths, trail walking) have been more beneficial.

Perhaps it's a case of what one's spiritual path is, or just the way we are wired inside.

There are certain types of mental "illness" that zen meditation is helpful for, and others that such meditation can lead to serious states of depersonalization and psychosis.

I would guess that even if one's mind isn't far enough along the spectrum to be considered mentally ill or disordered, there would still be different types of meditation that would be more beneficial than others.

[The Back Seat]

Originally Posted by Hadit

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law,

I'm wondering why the majority of occultists or other practitioners are often obsessed with silencing their minds. Meditation need not silence the mind but can be used for intense focus and visualization. All ritual and all spiritualism can survive in the mind alone, why do people try to clear it out? Likewise, why are people obsessed with being static? Clearing the mind, taking things as they come, turning the other cheek... Be active! Cause change! Evolve! I don't understand why people want to sit back and fade away.

Love is the law, love under will.

How can one focus the mind if there is too much distracting chatter? We relax the mind in order to gain a higher sense of control over it. Spirituality exists in the center of the brain and down the spinal column, not the mind/memory. The mind is a tool to be used by your spiritual self

[charly233]

For me there is a time to be silent and a time to be soundful. I love both of these aspects of the divine.