In the Midst of Silence: Discovering the Wisdom Within
“In the midst of the silence the secret word was spoken unto me.” – Meister Eckhart
The Secret Word in the Silence
These ancient words remind us of something timeless: wisdom is not found in noise, striving, or endless thinking. It is revealed in silence. In the stillness of our own hearts, beyond the chatter of thought, we find guidance that feels deeper than ourselves, what Eckhart calls the secret word.
But how often do we give ourselves permission to pause long enough to hear it?
Why Silence Matters
In our fast-paced world, silence can feel uncomfortable. We fill the gaps with scrolling, planning, or overthinking. Yet it is in receptivity, in interior stillness, that the mind begins to settle, and another kind of knowing becomes available.
• Silence creates space for clarity.
• Stillness allows the nervous system to recalibrate.
• Receptivity opens us to insights that thinking alone cannot produce.
The “secret word” is not something outside of us; it’s the wisdom that arises when we stop filling the silence and start listening.
The 3 Principles: Where Wisdom Comes From
Sydney Banks’ Three Principles, Mind, Consciousness, and Thought, point us toward the same truth that Meister Eckhart spoke of centuries ago.
• Mind is the universal intelligence behind life, the source of fresh thought and insight.
• Consciousness is our awareness, allowing us to hear the whisper beneath the noise.
• Thought is the lens through which we interpret our world, but when it slows, wisdom has room to shine through.
When our minds are racing, it’s like static on the radio. But in stillness, the signal clears, and the deeper intelligence of Mind speaks through us. That is the “secret word.”
The PAUSE: A Path to Inner Stillness
Knowing that wisdom lives in silence is one thing, creating the space to hear it is another. This is where The PAUSE Approach offers a practical way forward.
P – Presence
Take a slow, grounding breath. This interrupts the swirl of thoughts and roots you in the here and now.
A – Allow
Give permission for your sensations and emotions to simply be. As you soften, the nervous system begins to release tension.
U – Untangle
Notice the stories your thoughts are weaving, and gently step back. Recognise them as passing, not permanent.
S – Surrender
Sink into the quiet. Rest in the natural stillness that is always here beneath thought.
E – Embrace
Welcome yourself fully, with compassion for your strengths, your struggles, and your humanity.
Through The PAUSE, silence becomes not an absence but a presence, a living space where wisdom, peace, and clarity rise up to meet us.
The Gift of Listening Inward
When we honour silence, we remember that we are not separate from wisdom, it is built into us. The nervous system settles, the mind slows, and the deeper intelligence of life has a chance to be heard.
The “secret word” Meister Eckhart spoke of is not a mystery to be solved. It is the quiet knowing that arises when we stop trying to control and simply pause, listen, and receive.
The PAUSE is not a prescription of what to do; rather, it is a description of what is available to us every time we detach from the busyness of our minds. If you are interested in reading more about ‘The PAUSE,’ I’ve written extensively about it in other blogs which you can find here.
With love,
Angela
Namaste- I honour the place in you in which the entire universe resides. I honour the place in you, of love, of light, of truth, and peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.