Silence...with "Attention"

For sure, silence intrinsically involves quietness. The two are not separable, but are distinguishable. Personally I see silence as a deeper level of being quiet. To be quiet implies to be externally without noise--to be calm. Isn't this the same as being silent? It seems any distinction here is merely psychological.Nevertheless, Ashamu introduced the concept of "attention." The silent person is equally attentive. In silence, we gather up the heart, we recollect the principles of action in us. Thus, the silent person is in touch with his inner being. First and foremost, he is attentive to himself. But such self-conscious attentiveness is not blunt. The silent person is aware of the other. In fact, he enters into the mystery of the 'other.' This enwrapping sentivity to the 'other' is not arbitrary. It is consciously oriented and sustained as such. Interestingly, the other could be God...

"The divine word reveals its depths to those who, through silence
andmortification, are attentive to the Spirit's mysterious action. While
therequirement of regular silence establishes times when human words must
bestilled, it points to a style marked by great moderation in
verbalcommunication."----Pope John Paul II

SILENCE AND LISTENING

On our way back from school yesterday, I was telling my brother an experience I had the previous day. Just before getting to what I thought was the peak of the gist, he exclaimed, "Ah!" I thought he was reacting to my story. To my amazement he added: "I like the design of that car that just passed." It then dawned on me that he was not listening. Without further "warning" I abruptly ended the story, and shyly joined in the rather new but odd discussion.

Some thoughts then flashed into my head. It seems there is a connection between silence and listening. Of course, we can only listen when we are silent. But to be quiet is not the same as to be silent. My brother was quiet while I was telling the story, but he was grossly distracted internally; he was not silent. Hence, he was not listening. What do you think? Which do we need in meditative prayer, silence or quietness?

After Silence

...And God broke his "silence"! He spoke and things came to be...It was as if the universe evolved out of silence. Waoh! Silence must be very important to us, is it? But how much silence do we know today? The world is full of noise. I have come to accept my immediate environs as naturally noisy. But is it? Oh! The thought of this disturbs me...Come to think of it, silence and noise which precedes the other? What do we have after we have done away with silence?