Length and Breadth of Quietness

Vijaya Gopal

Wakeup calls beckon
an invitation to explorations
inwards lifelong
interconnectedness,
evident with oneness
surrounded by the sound of twitter
buzz of crickets
sweeping the breadth of quietness
permeating the expansive hall
silence oft fragmented
at the break of dawn.

Shifting gears breathing
contemplations diving to the rigor
at every soft breath
scanning mindfully,
from what was once a fontanel
into the depths of the mind’s sky
noticing sensations arise,
observing as it is
navigating an incredible journey
with equanimity
as thoughts take wing
from the temple
a gradual descent,
part by part
to the tips of toes
soon migrating back
to where it first began.
At the seat of mindfulness
subjective experiences remain
a stream of consciousness
synergies perceived
on the hilly terrain.

Manifestations skin deep,
search for hidden truths
riding at the confluence,
epigenetics to the fore
changes within neurons
neuroplasticity, the key
chromatin structures genomic
chemical marks, the reality
nucleosomes set in perpetual motion
micron-sized partners dynamic
signatures,
for inner silence
pliable
governing gene expression for life.

The Science

Inspired by my recent immersion in Vipassana, a sitting meditative practice, ‘Length and Breadth of Quietness’ reflects my experiences of a 10-day silent retreat at the Vipassana International Meditation Centre in Nagarjunasagar, Telangana, India. An ancient practice of mindfulness associated with teachings of the Buddha from ~2500 years ago, Vipassana is taught worldwide through audio recordings and discourses of the late S. N. Goenka.

Research over the past decade points to the role of the environmental and lifestyle factors in dynamically altering gene expression without altering the primary DNA structure per se. Besides, several studies have shown that the acquisition of epigenetic marks modulating gene expression triggered by the aforesaid factors are potentially reversible through mindfulness-based practices. Integration of introspection practices into mainstream contemporary medicine has in recent times taken a positive direction towards understanding the role of neuroplasticity in determining psychological and physiological wellbeing.

The Poet

Vijaya Gopal, a scientist and poet, enjoys reading and revelling in nature. With expertise in peptide-based nucleic acid delivery technologies directed to the central nervous system, her aim through poetry is to create an awareness of scientific concepts, metaphorically, from her lived experiences. She currently works in Hyderabad, India, as an independent science consultant and blogs at Through the lens of a Life Scientist.

Next poem: Look closer, green goes to purple by Edith Oaken