Silence

 Silence is not about keeping quiet.  You can be in a recovery meeting or a worship space, or a classroom where you are quiet but not in silence.  When?  When your mind is racing.  When your imagination is off to fantasy.  When you are ruminating about a resentment or fearing a future that may not even happen.  Silence means listening.  If I am sleeping while someone is talking, I am quiet but not in silence.  So I keep this in mind when I am in a meeting while someone else is talking, sharing something.  I try to pay attention.  That is silence.  In prayer, I am silent if I am open to listening to the God of my prayer.  I sometimes have very noisy prayers, though you hear no sound from me.  My meditation is never completely silent.  I get in the way!