Silence – Finding Quiet in the Midst of Chaos

The year 2017 began with great challenges for me. Alongside my normal life—consisting of my practice, teaching courses, partner, projects, and personal life—I had to oversee the complete renovation of an apartment. For me, this meant driving to the construction site early in the morning before my actual workday began: inspecting progress, discussing unexpected crises, making material decisions, radiating good spirits, feeling optimistic, and, above all, avoiding being crushed by overwhelm.

In the middle of this period, my partner sent me a PDF. He designs book covers. Before starting on a design for a book or series, he reads the manuscript. This particular book was about silence: Silence: In the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge.

I began reading it and was deeply touched. Externally, my life had zero quiet moments at that time, and internally, I felt right on the edge of permanent overload with all the additional demands of the renovation. Inner silence? Where was it supposed to come from?

After a few pages, I started reading the book in my favorite café in Friedenau—mostly on my way from the construction site to my practice while enjoying a quick coffee. A café in the capital is far from quiet in the early morning, and those brief moments between appointments were hardly silent on the outside. Yet, something inside me began to grow quieter. Not as silent as a monastery retreat, but simply calmer than before.

After three months, the renovation was finished on schedule and the apartment was rented out. The additional daily burden subsided, and life became "quieter" once again—or should I say, more silent.

Looking back, that phase was a valuable experience. When schedule slots are packed tightly, the mind can either become more active and restless—or it can simply fall silent. In those moments, there is barely any room left for unnecessary thoughts or mental chatter. The sheer focus on what is essential drives you forward, creating sudden moments of quiet and space amidst the chaos.

When things grow even quieter, a small door might open—allowing new thoughts to flow through that question the status quo: "Does life really have to be this way?" Ideas and insights can emerge that propel us forward, inspiring us to seek new paths and solutions that positively transform our existence.

What Really Causes Stress?

When feelings of stress overwhelm us, it is usually difficult to cultivate inner silence alongside external demands. Voices inside us begin giving lectures, echoing our anxiety, anger, and worries. This internal reaction is the real stress.

Stress is not solely caused by having too many demands in life; it also depends on how we react to them emotionally. If challenges trigger feelings of joy, self-confidence, and drive, we experience those times as demanding, but not as toxic stress. We may be exhausted at the end of the day, but the joy of what we accomplished sustains us.

For many years, I have been teaching courses based on the system of Universal Healing TAO by Grandmaster Mantak Chia. These exercises and meditations serve as a profound form of stress management. To handle stress effectively, we must first learn how it actually feels in our body and mind. We have to listen to ourselves and recognize the early warning signs when we begin to lose balance. If we only notice stress after we have already fallen out of equilibrium, it is often too late—and we risk slipping into burnout.

In his book Silence, Erling Kagge writes about everyday moments where quiet can be found amidst the noise and chaos of our modern world. He writes that we can all find the "South Pole" within ourselves.

I wish you many insights and revelations on your own journey toward your personal inner South Pole.

Reference: Erling Kagge, Silence: In the Age of Noise