Have you ever invited someone to spend some silent time with you at home or in a coffee shop?
My son Marc was taking an elective music course at the university; he approached while I was having my morning coffee in the garden and ask me:
-“Dad, do you know what is the most famous piece of music ever created?”.
I replied, “No, can you tell me.”
“It is a Silent piece from John Cage, it is John Cage’s most famous creation, and it is called 4’ 33”.”
Marc showed me the famous Pianist David Tudor arriving in front of a large audience,
in a grand concert hall sat at the piano, opened the keyboard, and sat silently for 30 seconds.
Then closed the lid and re-opened and sat silently for another 33 seconds and kept on repeating the same until 4 minutes 33 seconds or 4’ 33” which is the name of this piece composed by John Cage. The audience was sitting still and quiet for the whole 4’ 33”; then, with great enthusiasm, applauded the Pianist when he stood upand left the stage.
This silent piece of piano music became so popular that John cage had to set up an orchestra with all instruments and musicians to perform the same famous silent piece 4’33.” Still, this time with the whole of orchestra team was frozen and silent.
Many interpretations have been invoked in this piece of music. Some people would say it is a joke, while others say this piece is redefining music.
The composer is trying to express that the music is not in the notes, but in the silence between. He is inviting us to quiet our minds, to embrace our surroundings, and to be present.
The composer’s teaching from this piece is that if we pay enough attention, there is no difference between music, noise, and silence. This 4’3” is not about listening to nothing; it is about listening to everything.
I find it achievable and natural to spend silent time being alone and doing nothing. However, spending planned silent time with others appears far more challenging. However, spending planned silent time with others appears far more challenging.
Conversing, listening, performing a task, or doing something with people that are in our company appears to be more ordinary then allowing silence and emptiness to reign over.
Somehow we are not interested in the person Himself but more into his achievements, his doing and stories past and future.
In other words, we are not comfortable with the person himself but more at ease with their stories or the conversation. We want them to disappear because it is too scary, too unfamiliar, too vague, too adventurous to allow ourselves to be fully present to each other.
The miracle of silence is that in this emptiness that our authentic self reveals itself the most, and this is where we start building familiarity with each other. The more we give space for this silence to develop with each other, the more relationship, grow, expand, and multiply.
Our relationship does not develop in the communication but in the silence between them.
Our relationship does not develop in the busyness and discussion, but when we set back, embrace our stories, and come back to each other.
Our stories might help us to know each other, but what connects us is the amount of stillness that we have allowed while being with each other.
Silence speaks to our heart and Soul; In stillness, we can find ourselves, and others.
Next time you invite someone over, ask him to spend 4’ 33” second in silence together, whether you choose it to start, interrupt, or at the end of your encounter.
Allow your authentic presence to meet, allow your heart to speak, allow life to unite you, allow yourself to listen to everything, redefine your relationships, create silence, and let the music play.
How is your relationship with silence?
How can you improve your relationship with silence?
One way I will practice silence today is…
Another way I will practice silence today is…