Zen story: the koan of silence
By emptychair
@innertalks (23672)
Australia
May 20, 2026 10:33pm CST
The Zen master hummed softly to himself, and nobody knew what was on his mind to cause him to hum like that.
He then said,
"Humming is a koan for you, what do you think it means?
Nobody could answer him satisfactorily, and so, he gave them his answer.
"Humming is a form of silence, which proves to all, and even to yourself too, that silence is greater than thought."
"For out of silence comes the greatest thoughts, while thoughts thought without silence are mere wind tunnels of noise, with no point to their loudness, as words must be spoken softly from our heart, not loudly from our mind, to be really meaningful, and to contain love behind them too."
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
Thinking in silence produces optimal results.
1 person likes this
1 response
@Shiva49 (28269)
• Singapore
21 May
It is tough to remain silent as it can be taken as aloofness from society.
I am one who can be alone but not feel lonely.
Silence gives us time to crystallize our thoughts and refocus on what we need to do.
A few are chatterboxes but do not convey much.
Some are thoughtful and convey ideas that benefit others.
Maybe, we need them both.
I do not compete for attention.
Too much of silence can bring upon needless worries so some light banter can keep us going.
I am not musically inclined to hum songs but use time alone to think about life, and those who came my way in this life and wonder where they are who have left this shore.
1 person likes this
@innertalks (23672)
• Australia
21 May
I have heard that humming is a bit like chanting, and it soothes the nerves and relaxes the body.
I have started to do it myself, as it calms one when feeling stressed, and actually works to calm the vagus nerve, it is claimed.
I usually remain silent most of the time too, but sometimes a good talk to someone helps release pent up unreleased emotions, and gives voice to our thinking, so can help us to cope with a frantic, and fast paced hectic life too.
I have been in the Philippines for the last 4 weeks, visiting my in-laws there, with my wife, so I have been a bit quiet here too, on mylot.
@Shiva49 (28269)
• Singapore
22 May
@innertalks Yeah, some advocate deep breathing, counting from one to ten, to release pent up emotions and tensions.
Issues that defy solutions are at he back of my mind and I toss them over till I can get a breakthrough.
Some seek silence "sitting on the throne" at home , even reading books, and also in long telephone conversations. I like to get out of that place as soon as possible!
I am selective in broaching personal issues that dog me. I take a view if I ask an opinion, then I have to follow whatever is proffered. I would rather go by my gut feelings when in a quandary.
I was checking almost everyday for your posts and started to wonder what could have been the reason for the "silence"!
I split my time between Singapore and India where I have relatives who are also mostly retired. Though both are in Asia, there is a world of difference and also similarities. I try to mesh in with the surroundings. I belong to where I live at that moment!
1 person likes this
@innertalks (23672)
• Australia
23 May
@Shiva49 Hard to use internet on my phone over there to write a post. I like a bigger screen, as the small one is fiddly for me.
We do need help at times, as, as they say, no man is an island, and yet the idea of oneness contradicts this saying, we are all really one island, all in it together too.
I like to think things over too, before I commit to anything, as I seldom act on the spur of the moment any more, as I was once prone to do, when younger.
