Silence is so tender… laid your soul in the sponge of the universe. The smell of rice plant, the sound of chirping birds, and the stream from the distance help to give up ego-defenses then merging with the fragrance of flowers and leaves. Silence is tender, strong, and gentle. It is active accepting and passive embracing. Silence is a dynamic space from mind and heart that wants to learn to unlearn, to unleash spontaneity and creativity. In silence the true self shines and transforms coercion thoughts to cohesion mind. No more dichotomy. Mind and heart fuse, and both make love with determiners of senses…

Coercion is an action base on force and authorities, which strongly dominate one’s will in his/her responses to external stimuli. The fascinating part is, although people by nature know that they are free, supreme, and sovereign, but still daily, they more likely subconsciously surrender to various forms of coercion. Somehow, in coercion thoughts, one tries hard to deny his/her freedom, self-ownership, and sovereignty, and becomes submissive. Whereas cohesion is the meeting of two subjects based on attracted chemistry and both agreed and allow the interaction of each other. In the dynamic of cohesion, both are loved, embraced, and freed; both are in the dynamic relationship of learning and leaning to one another.

How to move from coercion to cohesion?

Become aware of your thoughts. Explore your attitudes toward self and the closest one. Explore your ideas and core beliefs. Notice if you have any punitive beliefs toward self and others. Furthermore, it is indicated by habit to treat very hard and rigid toward self… Dogmatic beliefs… Beliefs you hold on to rather than beliefs that were born from your inner longing.

Beliefs that resist growth in loving self and others deeper… Notice if you have cynical ideas that say nothing will change anyway… because “I have to… I must to… I have no choice…”

Rony Kusnadi, Ph.D.