We are working with our partners to expand this section to offer a variety of curated options for those interested in bringing more silence into their lives and communities. Check back regularly or sign-up for our mailing list for updates.
BOOKS:
Silence: Lectures and Writings // John Cage
World of Silence // Max Picard
Where the Heart Beats // Kay Larson
In Pursuit of Silence: Listening for Meaning in a World of Noise // George Prochnik
Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute Silence // George Foy
Manifesto for Silence: Confronting the Politics and Culture of Noise // Stuart Sim
The Way of the Heart // Henri Nouwen
Thirst // Mary Oliver
A Book of Silence // Sara Maitland
Silence in Schools // Helen Lees
Devotional Cinema // Nathaniel Dorsky
Styles of Radical Will // Susan Sontag
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
The Sound of Silence // Katrina Goldsaito
Blackout // John Rocco
ARTICLES:
Is the Sound of Silence the End of the Self? // Tim Parks
The Joy of Quiet // Pico Iyer
A Poetic Life // Patrick Shen
Form out of Formlessness // Patrick Shen
John Cage: I Have Nothing to Say and I Am Saying It // PBS
Tribute to John Cage // Nam June Paik
We highly recommend the films of Nathaniel Dorsky which can be rented on 16mm at Canyon Cinema. His films are also regularly screened at festivals and museums around the world — visit his website for more information.
Available for immediate download, Silence is a Sound is a double digital album featuring the original score of the film by Alex Lu and 10 special recordings of silent places captured during the making of In Pursuit of Silence. Sample the album below – headphones highly recommended:
Silence is much more than the absence of sound. It can have many textures and qualities that all combine to form a sonic environment that is both pleasing to the ear and the mind. From the negative 13 decibels of silence at the anechoic chamber at Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis, MN to the nightly chorus of frogs that lull the monks at the Tekishinjuku Zen Monastery in Kyoto, Japan into zazen; we’ve traveled the globe capturing varying types of “silence” with some of the best sound equipment available. This album is not a collection of soundscape recordings. This compilation is an audio diary of some of our favorite “silences” from around the world, each with its own story.
One of the best free smart phone apps for measuring the decibels of your environment. We used this when we didn’t have our professional Larson Davis sound level meter with us.
Calm Me Down
Developed by Dr. Helen Lees (featured in the film) this simple app is not your typical meditation or mindfulness app, but a straightforward guide to accessing silence anywhere you are.
We can make the world quieter by making smarter purchasing decisions. The Quiet Mark awards its logo to the quietest products across a whole range of industries from computer mice to commercial jetliners.
Coffitivity
Coffitivity recreates the ambient sounds of a cafe to boost your creativity and help you work better.
A Soft Murmur
Ambient sounds to wash away distraction.
- Patheos | Talking about Silence: An Interview with Patrick Shen // Oct 2014
- Sonic Field | Interview with Director Patrick Shen // Nov 2014
- Designing Sound | Interview with Patrick Shen // June 2014
Hosting a screening and want to hold a discussion or simply want to know more? Download the 14-page discussion guide by clicking below:
