Sri Aurobindo

Letters of Sri Aurobindo

Volume 1. 1933-34

Fragment ID: 16376

1934

We usually speak of complete silence, calm, peace, etc. Will you kindly say something about these so that we can understand the real difference between them?

Calm is a strong and positive quietude, firm and solid – ordinary quietude is mere negation, simply the absence of disturbance.

Peace is a deep quietude where no disturbance can come – a quietude with a sense of established security and release.

In complete silence there are either no thoughts or thoughts come, but they are felt as something coming from outside and not disturbing the silence.

Silence of the mind, peace or calm in the mind are three things that are very close together and bring each other.