Noise, by Aryae Coopersmith

शोर द्वारा आर्ये कूपर्स्मिथ

जब मैं रेडवुड के जंगल में पहुँचता हूँ, तो वहां के पेड़ अपनी शांति की प्राचीन और गहन वाणी से मेरा स्वागत करते हैं। मैं इतने लंबे समय से यहाँ नहीं आया था कि इस अनुभूति को लगभग भूल ही गया था। मेरा हृदय प्रेम के आँसुओं से भर उठता है।

शुक्रवार की शाम, कैंपसाइट पर, मैं शांतिपूर्वक, शब्बात (यहूदी विश्राम दिवस) के पारंपरिक भोजन की तैयारी करता हूँ— मोमबत्तियाँ, मदिरा , चाल्लाह (विशेष रोटी), विशेष व्यंजन, प्रार्थनाएँ और आशीर्वाद। इन्हीं के माध्यम से मैं उस मौन का उत्तर देना चाहता हूँ।

तभी शोर शुरू हो जाता है। बिल्कुल पास वाले कैंपसाइट पर अभी-अभी आए कैंपर का जनरेटर , वातावरण पर हावी, लगातार ,तेज़ आवाज़ करने लगता है। मैं उसे अनदेखा करने की कोशिश करता हूँ। अपने मन को शांत करना चाहता हूँ, और फिर से उस प्रेमपूर्ण कृतज्ञता और आध्यात्मिक अनुष्ठान में लौटना चाहता हूँ। लेकिन मैं ऐसा नहीं कर पाता। अब वह शोर मेरी पूरी शाम पर हावी हो चुका है। ऐसे में मैं क्या करूँ?

दो वर्ष पहले भी ऐसा ही हुआ था। तब मैं बहुत क्रोधित और परेशान हो गया था। मैं उस परिवार के पास गया और उनसे कहा कि दूसरे कैंप करने वालों का भी ध्यान रखें और कृपया अपना जनरेटर बंद कर दें। उस व्यक्ति ने पहले मेरे गुस्से से भरे चेहरे को देखा, फिर अपनी पत्नी और किशोर बेटों की ओर देखा और कंधे उचकाते हुए बोला, "पार्क के नियम कहते हैं कि मैं इसे रात 10 बजे तक चला सकता हूँ।" और उसने वही किया। उस जनरेटर का शोर मेरी पूरी शाम की शांति और सुकून को डुबो गया।

इस बार मैं उसी शोर के बीच बैठा रहा और जीवन भर अपने मित्रों और शिक्षकों से सीखी हुई बातों पर विचार करता रहा। फिर मैं उठा और उस कैंपर की ओर चला गया। वहाँ मेरी ही उम्र का एक दंपति था। महिला बाहर बैठकर किताब पढ़ रही थी और पुरुष भीतर रात का खाना बना रहा था। मैंने कुछ क्षण रुककर उन्हें देखा ताकि उनके जीवन, उनके संघर्षों और उनकी आशाओं की कल्पना कर सकूं ।

"नमस्ते," मैंने कहा, "मैं सामने वाले कैंपसाइट में ठहरा हूँ। कितनी सुंदर शाम है, है न?" हमने एक-दूसरे का परिचय दिया। ज़्यादातर बातचीत वही व्यक्ति कर रहा था। उसकी पत्नी कुछ कमजोर और अस्वस्थ-सी लग रही थी। पता चला कि वे दक्षिणी कैलिफ़ोर्निया से हैं और ओरेगन में अपने बेटे से मिलकर लौट रहे हैं। मैंने भी उन्हें पोर्टलैंड में रहने वाली अपनी बेटी और अपनी बेटी की बेटी के बारे में बताया।

फिर मैंने कहा, "मैं सोच रहा था कि आप अपना जनरेटर कितनी देर तक चलाने वाले हैं?"

वह बोला, "नियम कहते हैं कि हम इसे रात 10 बजे तक चला सकते हैं।" मैंने बस चुपचाप सिर हिला दिया। मैंने कुछ नहीं कहा। उसने चारों ओर नज़र दौड़ाई। आसपास ज़्यादातर लोग तंबुओं में ठहरे हुए थे। वह बोला, "यहाँ तो सचमुच बहुत शांति है, है न?"

मैंने सहमती में सिर हिलाया और कहा, "मुझे लगता है कि हममें से बहुत-से लोग इसी शांति की तलाश में यहाँ आते हैं।"

कुछ क्षण सोचने के बाद वह बोला, "ठीक है... मेरा ख़याल है कि हम खाना खा लेने के बाद, लगभग एक घंटे में, इसे बंद कर सकते हैं।" उसने अपनी पत्नी की ओर देखा। उसने भी सहमति में सिर हिलाया।

मैंने मुस्कराकर कहा, "बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद। मैं इसकी सराहना करता हूँ। आपका भोजन आनंददायक हो!" वह बोला, "धन्यवाद। और आप भी अपने भोजन का आनंद लीजिए।"

मैं वापस अपने कैंपसाइट पर आया। मैंने आशीर्वचन कहा और मोमबत्तियाँ जलाईं। जनरेटर की आवाज़ अब भी उतनी ही तेज़ थी।लेकिन मेरे मन का शोर समाप्त हो चुका था।अब मैं फिर से शांति और मौन में पूरी तरह उपस्थित हो सका।

कुछ ही मिनटों बाद मुझे एहसास हुआ कि बाहर का शोर भी बंद हो गया है। मैं फिर उनके कैंपर के पास गया और पूछा, "सब ठीक है न?" वह मुस्कराया और बोला, "हाँ, मैंने अभी इसे बंद कर दिया।" मैंने कहा, धन्यवाद।"

वह कुछ क्षण चुप खड़ा रहा। थोड़ा संकोच में लग रहा था। फिर मुस्कराकर बोला, "असल में मैंने सोचा... मुझे इसकी गंध भी पसंद नहीं है!" हम तीनों हँस पड़े। उसके बाद हमने अपने बच्चों के बारे में कुछ देर और बातें कीं।

मनन के लिए बीज प्रश्न ; इस धारणा से आप कैसा नाता रखते हैं कि हमारे मन का शोर, बाहर के शोर बंद होने से पहले भी शांत हो सकता है? क्या आप अपने जीवन की उस समय की एक निजी कहानी साझा कर सकते हैं, जब आपने किसी व्यक्ति के जीवन, उसके संघर्षों और उसकी आशाओं को समझने की सच्ची जिज्ञासा के साथ उससे बात की हो, और उस कारण एक संभावित टकराव या दूरी, आपसी समझ और निकटता में बदल गई हो? जब बाहरी परिस्थितियाँ आपकी आंतरिक शांति पर हावी होती प्रतीत हों, तब आपको अपनी शिकायत या नाराज़गी से आगे बढ़कर, अपनी मानवीय संवेदना के साथ प्रतिक्रिया देने की वह छोटी लेकिन महत्वपूर्ण छलांग लगाने में, किस चीज़ से मदद मिलती है ?

Aryae Coopersmith is the author of Holy Beggars and the founder of One World Lights (OWL), a community of global citizens with the shared vision of people everywhere supporting a course change for humanity by supporting each other.

Seed Questions for Reflection

How do you relate to the notion that the noise in our minds can be quieted before the outer noise ever stops? Can you share a personal story of a time when approaching someone with genuine curiosity about their life - pausing to imagine their struggles and their hopes - changed what might otherwise have become a moment of conflict or distance? What helps you make that small but significant shift from leading with your grievance to leading with your humanity, especially when the outer noise feels like it's winning over your inner peace?

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Add Your Reflection

9 Past Reflections

Craig

Jun 30, 2026

Several years ago, I moved into a new apartment in Seattle. A few days after my move, around 11:00PM, just as I was falling asleep in bed, my next door neighbor started playing house music very loudly; we shared a wall, and his speakers were right up against that wall, and the whole wall seemed to vibrate with his music. At first I was outraged by how disrespectful he was to start playing loud music so late at night. I gathered the courage to go next door and pay him a visit and give him a piece of my mind. But as I put on my bathrobe, I realized that if I show any sign of anger, it would make for a terrible introduction to his new neighbor, and our relationship would start out on the wrong foot. So I tried to swallow my negativity and knocked on his door. An exuberant young man opened the door and invited me in. I asked him if he could turn his music down, and explained that my whole wall was vibrating. He did so, apologizing profusely. He then explained that he was a professional DJ, and he was setting up his musical line up for the evening. His palpable passion and love for the dance music made a great impression on me; he LOVED his music and his job so much, and he couldn't wait to share it with the others at the dance club or rave that night. I left his apartment infected with his passion, even though before meeting him, I would never say I enjoyed that type of music. The next weekend, just as I was getting into bed, he started playing his music again, just as loudly as before. But this time, when I heard it, it came not with anger, but with the love he shared with me toward it. Feeling this love as the whole wall was vibrating, I was able to fall asleep surprisingly quickly! It continued that way every weekend for the whole year that I lived there. Just like Aryae Coopersmith's story, it's so easy to project negativity onto people we don't know, but when we actually get to meet them, get to know them, and learn something of their point of view, what was at first another person's "noise" can even become a kind of lullaby. Hide full comment

Shyam

Jun 30, 2026

A few years ago I had gone to attend a Vipassana retreat . The center was in an isolated area and it would be quiet most of the time. However , at 5 am in the morning , when were meditating, the sound from a mosque of Azan would come .
The first day I was disturbed , getting irritated and waiting for it to end.
It would happen everyday and the irritation would happen.
On the fifth day, I realised why am I spoiling my meditation. Its after all a call to begin prayers. Why do I find it disturbing. Can I not welcome it. and the irritation vanished. I would not even get affected by the azan call and could continue my meditation through it.

David Doane, author of A Psychotherapist's View of Reality

Jun 30, 2026

The noise in our minds is the dominant noise. When I quiet the inner noise I don't notice or am not bothered by the outer noise. Noise is sound -- we are the ones that learn or experience or define certain sounds as noise and other sounds as pleasant, just like we determine that certain plants are weeds and other plants aren't. I believe there is beauty in all existence and it would be good for me to see beauty in all sound and all plants and in all that is. Sadly, I can judge a person positively or negatively based solely on their appearance, and many times have done that. As I get to know the person, I've many times realized how wrong my initial judgment was. Eventually I learned that initial appearance was for me outer noise, and I've made the significant shift, at least to some degree, to meeting the person for who he or she is which begins some closeness between us rather than distance. When I make that shift I feel much greater peace and contentment within myself.

Janet Heartson

Jun 30, 2026

We have a small room in our home that is sound proof. My husband uses it to record audio books and I use it for clients to have a sound bath. When anyone walks in and feels the silence, they visibly relax, take a deep breath and say Wow, it's really quiet in here (or something like that). Sometimes we have a dehumidifier or a fan and I feel myself get tense and have to breathe into my inner peace, but at least it's rythmic and consistent. We also have motorcycles around in the summer and I find myself resenting their souped up motor sounds. I'd like to think that I am impervious to what is on the outside, but I know I am adversely affected quite a lot. If I notice it though, I can shift it with my breath. In the Dances of Universal Peace there is a Buddhist change that is disharmonious. I used to hate it, but after a while, I was able to accept it. In your story though, it seems that after having a loving exchange with someone, what they did was less of an issue. They listened to yo... View full comment

Gail flynn

Jun 30, 2026

I guess I'm more sensitive to sounds rather than noise .I love birdsong ,find it soothing but loud voices vying for attention I struggle with .I love the wind ,soft gentle voices ,the harshness I keep away from

BarbaraS.

Jun 30, 2026

Just recently, here in our new community we moved to just a couple of years ago, we were walking around the lake and tossing peanuts to the squirrels which we thoroughly were enjoying them. Some lady came up and was rude, telling us you can't feed the squirrels even though there is not signage, only not to feed the ducks. She went on to say the squirrels get emboldened and bother them on the pickleball courts which I thought was really not happening, like they were going to bite their ankles while playing ball. I was very annoyed. It was a few weeks later we saw her again with her handicapped husband in a scooter and they asked to play a bocce ball game. We did this a couple of times over the a period and got to know them a bit and come to find out he has dementia and had many strokes. I felt really so much compassion her as his caregiver and for him as he realizes he cannot do much anymore. So many people have their own life issues and it's easy to make snap judgements. Getti... View full comment

Monica Samuel

Jun 29, 2026

My home is surrounded by the sound of construction and it makes me feel very restless and frustrated sometimes. A few days back, after coming back from a retreat where my inner work also goes on, I noticed I wasn't feeling as agitated. On reflecting, I realised that the inenr noise had settled and therefore the outer noise felt less disturbing. After reading this post, I am imagining the many workers going about their jobs, in the heat and rain, many of them away from families, the deadlines they have to meet, and the homes that are being created for people to soon fill with their many stories. My breath relaxes. My heart feels more expansive.

Gururaj Jun 30, 2026

Well related. So true that when inner composure is there (from reflections, understanding, meditation), we are better able to take outer discordances in our stride. A good reminder to make it a daily practice

Craig Jun 30, 2026

That's a lovely sharing, Monica. Thank you. For ten years, everywhere we moved seemed to have some major construction project going on across the street or next door soon after we moved in. The first month almost drove me crazy. But then I tried to imagine is that, when I hear construction going on outside my home, it's a reflection of my inner "house" being expanded or maintained. For example, something in my unconscious is tearing apart its foundation and rebuilding a new, stronger or larger foundation, or adding a second story, or just doing regular maintenance to keep my inner psyche strong. Over the years, the sound of construction became a good omen as I fathomed that I was listening to my interior home expanding and getting stronger.