Silence has at least two different levels. First, there is keeping silent. This is the silence where there is no noise that can be heard. No radio, no TV, or sound of any kind. Not even a dog barking. This is the abstaining from speech and making words with our mouths. Sometimes that is very difficult to do. We are provoked by the most unlikely things. It’s then that we respond quickly and without thinking of the consequences.
The other level is being silent. This is something much more than the lack of outward noise. This is an inner attitude of gentleness, accessibility and availability. It is a stilling of, or quietening of, the nosiness that is within us. And I think this a much harder gig. There can be so much stuff and noise slushing around inside of us, particularly when we are uncertain and adrift. When we are flustered, fearful and flummoxed, we should not only keep silent but we should be silent. Breathe and ask a few hard questions. Like ‘Will this matter in 6 months time?’ ‘Is this a first world problem?’ ‘My options are…?’
There is also a connection between being silent and keeping silent. It is when we can keep silent that we have the resources to be silent. One is always feeding the other.
So while the crazy old guy in the chapel might mutter sometimes, there is also a lot of activity going on in the apparent inactivity. He is both keeping silent and being silent and sometimes just ‘Being’.