The Power of Shutting Up and Sitting in Silence | Hacker News Reader

The Power of Shutting Up and Sitting in Silence

longreads.com

50 pointsprostoalex14 comments

3400 words about how one person smuggled in a book to read, instant coffee, M&Ms, and champagne-soaked gummy bears, and somehow still half-thought it was _the ashram_ that was "total bullshit."

I read someone describe an isolation tank as boring and pointless. To alleviate the boredom, they would touch their legs "just to have some sort of sensation". They did not seem to understand that they had missed the point.

Also, if there were clear benefits, I think the author would have started with an endorsement that is somewhat stronger than, "I think it kind of did [fix something]".

Not really half-thought. I think she fully thought. She thought half the content was bullshit.

"The swamis were right: You and the voice in your head — whatever you want to call it — are pretty much all you have in the end. You have to hang on to it, and listen out for it."

This paragraph is near the end. It sounds to me like she got something out if it. I liked the article. Western cynicism or WASP stoicism doesn't completely go away in a week.

Thank you for sharing that.

Our awareness of our own attention is quite a "superpower". Harnessing it is a non-trivial matter, but strengthening our muscles requires focused exercise too.

“All men's miseries derive from not being able to sit quiet in a room alone.”

This always has seemed to me as condemning people who are not introspective enough or introverted enough. "If only we could get rid of these people, all miseries would vanish". Right?

Why do you think you need to be particularly introverted or introspective in order to be able to reflect on yourself? I'd say it doesn't matter what kind of person you are by birth. If you aren't able to reflect on and evaluate your experiences, you're going to end up in places you probably didn't want to end up in or as a person you don't like.

No, the problem I have is saying that "all miseries" come from that and nothing else.

It's not intended to be an ultimate truth of the universe. But the world would be a better place if more people did spend more time thinking about themselves instead of drowning it out with games, music or social media (like plenty of people that I know).

I don't interpret it as having anything to do with introversion or introspection. You don't have to be either of these to have the desire and ability to sit quietly from time to time (once a week/month).

To me, the quotation draws a link between the ability to sit quietly and the condition of being at peace with one's self. Enjoying the mindful act of sitting quietly is a manifestation of such peace, and learning to sit quietly involves tackling ways in which you are not at such peace.

Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.

-Blaise Pascal (1669), Pensées post., Section 2, #139

Through Google Translate... "All the misery of men comes from one thing, which is not knowing how to rest in a room."

In any case, this quote preludes Pascal's Wager in #233.

Blaise Pascal -- though at first glance, I was sure it was Akira Kurosawa. I tracked down his variant, which apparently hashes to the same bucket in my cerebram:

"I suppose all of my films have a common theme. If I think about it, though, the only theme I can think of is really a question: Why can’t people be happier together?"

Didnt seem to get the point of the article. Does anyone have ideas?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com