The Healing Power of Sacred Silence: How Aleph Teaches Us To Pause, Breathe,and Begin Again
An abstract depiction of the Hebrew letter, “Aleph,” created by Jennifer Judelsohn, LCSW.
The world feels unbearably loud right now. Between global and national conflicts, climate crises, and digital overload, our nervous systems are maxed out. We are flooded with information, misinformation, and disinformation—and we may not even know the difference. Many of us feel constant waves of grief, anger, helplessness, or hopelessness. It’s tempting to respond with more noise: to protest the atrocities of the world; to be vocal about what scares us; to jump onto social media and spout our thoughts, concerns, and judgments. In such challenging times, not making noise in reaction to every injustice might seem downright irresponsible. But what if silence is the most radically responsible thing we could do? What if, instead of reacting, we paused—and listened?
In Judaism, the Hebrew letter Aleph holds sacred wisdom. It is silent, but not empty. Asa seed-sound language each Hebrew letter has meaning—depths of meaning, really—and carries within itself energies and values that help shape our reality. Aleph is “the sound before sound.” It is primordial silence: the place from which all other sound emerges. The silence of Aleph is the pause before a sound is uttered, pregnant and pulsing with unlimited potential. It comes from the deepest places within and without. In this post, we will explore how Aleph’s energy of sacred silence can help us reclaim peace, respond with intention, and live from a place of inner truth, even in the most chaotic times.
Why the Sacred Pause is More Powerful than Reacting
A bumblebee extracting pollen from a peaceable flower. Stillness is everywhere.
In a world full of noise, speed and the push for productivity, Aleph’s energy is counterintuitive: It suggests that we pause, reconnecting to Source before we set forth to act and react. Rather than absence, the silence of Aleph is the presence from which everything is derived. As the world spins out, Aleph affords us a refuge, inviting us to truly pause and become aware of the quiet moments between breaths. Aleph is the gateway to inner clarity, providing access to insights into what matters most. In that space, we are more than what we think, more than the list of tasks we must accomplish, more than our emotions. In those moments, we are ephemerally connected with the sacredness of everything. We are one with the stillness. Living from Aleph means cultivating the courage to be still in a world that is always on the go. In our modern lives, this kind of silence is increasingly rare. Our days are filled with alerts, continually updated content curated just for us, commentary telling us what to think, feel, and believe. So many voices call for our attention. True meaning is not found in this constant stream of activity. It is found in the spaces within and between.
The pause between breaths. The space between words. The quiet moments that allow us to ask ourselves: Who am I? What is my purpose? What is the next right action for me to take? Such stillness might not always be comfortable for those who are new to it. When we intentionally slow down and create the space for stillness and quiet within, we are often confronted by the noise in our own head. If we can remain still however, and allow the sounds to subside, we have access to something deeper: a wisdom within.
Feeling Overwhelmed? Return to the Breath Within Breaths
Aleph is the breath within breaths. To live from the place of Aleph is to continually return to the sacred silence within to ground ourselves. It means intentionally creating sacred pauses in our day. Before giving a response, take a moment to reflect. Before eating, express gratitude for the food that is nourishing you. When going for a walk, turn your phone off and notice the beauty in the world around you. Aleph creates that tiny space of awareness between stimulus and response, enabling us to consciously choose to be in the present moment.
Journaling is one way of integrating yourself with your surrounding environment — an important aspect of “living from Aleph.”
The silence of Aleph thus becomes a tool for discernment. Living from Aleph is not passive or an act of withdrawal from the world. It is active, intentional engagement. It’s a practice of active listening: Listening to your body and hearing the cues of self-care or taking a moment to notice what emotions you are feeling—and then reflecting on them so you can respond rather than knee-jerk react. It is the space of listening to others, seeking out the messages beneath the words, listening to hear rather than to answer. Living from Aleph empowers us to let the process unfold without rushing to fix it according to what our egos think is the answer.
Silence is not inaction. It is energy brimming with creative force, the place where seeds germinate and ideas form. In times of suffering and injustice, Aleph teaches us to begin from stillness and silence. Take a breath and pause. Speak and act with clarity and calm. Move through the world from a place of radical love and sacred presence.
7 Daily Practices to Bring Sacred Silence into Your Life
Out of chaos and uncertainty, growth and stability can emerge when we choose to align with the wisdom of Aleph.
When the world is filled with chaos and we feel under fire from all sides, we can choose to implement the wisdom of Aleph. Especially when we are facing overwhelming suffering and injustice, we must practice the wisdom of Aleph to ground us in our daily lives. Here are seven strategies for actively living the energy of Aleph:
Take Two Sacred Minutes to Sit in Silence.
Take a short pause in the middle of your day. Sit comfortably. Set a timer for two minutes. Close your eyes and breathe. Without judgment, notice what it feels like to be you in this moment. This is the silent energy that Aleph offers.
Journal From the Quiet Space Within.
Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Center yourself with your breath. Ask yourself what wisdom is trying to emerge within you. Write without judgment, allowing the words to form on the page. Let the silence speak through your writing.
Think Before You Post: A Mindful Aleph-Inspired Practice.
Social media invites instant reactions, encouraging us to share news, express our outrage and discontent, and present our opinions as if they are facts. Aleph asks us to slow down and breathe. Aleph is not about remaining silent indefinitely, though. It is about taking a moment to reflect and intentionally THINK about what you post:
Will it be True?
Will it be Helpful?
Will it be Informative?
Will it be Nice?
Will it be Kind?
Be The Calm in the Chaos: Holding the Center with Aleph.
In challenging times—whether it’s a natural disaster such as a wildfire, hurricane,
or earthquake, a family argument or work conflict, or an ideological
conflict—someone needs to hold the center. Be the eye in the storm. Be the one
who remains grounded. Embody calm compassion. Speak with gentle
assertiveness. Practice active listening. Although you might not solve the
problem, coming from a space of Aleph’s presence will shift the energy and allow
for wisdom to show up.
Listen Deeply: The Aleph Way to Connect Across Differences
Aleph is the space for sound to be heard. By allowing for all voices to be
heard—even from the voices of people who see the world differently—you are
creating a container for respect, common ground, and connection to occur.
Embrace the Void: Trusting Silence as the Source of Creation
Aleph is primordial energy: It is limitless, unknown potential and possibility. It is
not the answer; it is the place of deep inquiry. Wisdom, answers and the next
right action may emerge. Creation begins from this void. It can feel unsettling,
messy, and unclear. Trust the process. Hold the container of pulsating silence.
Know that this is not the end. It is the beginning.
Create from Silence: Let Sacred Silence Guide Your Next Step
Take the time to make something from the stillness. Sit. Breathe. Set an
intention. Trust the process. Then begin. Cook a meal, write a poem, plant a
garden, call a friend. Creation does not have to be a big deal. It just needs to be
authentic. Follow your breath, letting the Aleph energy emerge from that place of
sacred presence within.
Silence as Radical Responsibility: Choosing Presence in a Noisy World
In a world filled with suffering, existential challenges, and divisiveness, living the values of Aleph is a sacred act of radical responsibility. It is a vote for healing and wholeness. It is opening to our inner wisdom, allowing the still, small voice within to guide us to a better place individually and collectively. When the world is racing around you, choose stillness. When the voices around you are noisy and loud, choose active listening. When the world demands thoughtless action, choose measured response. When nothing makes sense, choose presence. Out of the silence of Aleph, the possibility of a better way is born.