The Narnian creation begins with Aslan singing.
Aslan’s singing creates the physical Narnian universe, from the stars above to the flowers and creatures below. The stars blaze forth and sing with Aslan. The beasts are created and add their voices, “cawing, cooing, crowing, braying, neighing, baying, barking, lowing, bleating, and trumpeting.”
All the noise of the creatures drowns out Aslan’s songs and Aslan stops singing. He goes amongst the creatures choosing the few who would become Talking Beasts. Those not chosen leave Aslan. The noise fades and, finally, there is a pregnant silence.
In previous posts we discussed two kinds of silence: (1) the silence of absence and terror, and (2) contemplative silence, the silence that enables thought and learning. The first silence arises when one no longer hears the music of the spheres, when man loses connection with creation and the Creator. The second silence enables one to hear the music of the spheres and engage in reflective and spiritual contemplation. In the Narnian creation story, Aslan's song infused creation with the music of spheres. Upon completion he stops. Creation itself now sings the music of the spheres, but there is no one to discern, understand, and be inspired by the song.
The chosen beasts stand in contemplative silence eyes fixed on Aslan.
The song is sung, the audience awaits.
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