Silence

I write a monthly essay for my school's newsletter. This is my latest:

Today we live in a noisy world, filled with the sounds of the television, electronics, phone conversations, leaf blowers, sirens, and traffic. Many of us rarely have the opportunity to experience silence or to savor the quieter sounds of bees buzzing, wind rustling the leaves, or a fire crackling in the fireplace. Silence can be scary. We often describe conversations with patches of silence as “awkward” or “uncomfortable.” We turn on music or the radio to fill the void, as if silence means an absence or lack of something worthy. Valuing and cultivating silence in your family’s life is an important goal as it encourages all of us to reflect and learn to take inner counsel.

In the Primary classrooms, we have an activity called the “Silence Game.” Dr. Montessori developed the activity by asking the children to make silence while they were facing away from her. She then whispered a child’s name and the child would walk silently to her. Today, we often play this game at circle time, stressing that making silence is difficult and takes a lot of concentration.  We sometimes light the Silence Candle and try to make silence for one minute, a very long time for some children. Our goal with this activity is to encourage the calming influence of a still body and a state of being that allows one to take in other sounds or stimuli, and to gain comfort with one’s own thoughts.

"When the children have become acquainted with silence...(they) go on to perfect themselves; they walk lightly, take care not to knock against the furniture, move their chairs without noise, and place things upon the table with great care.... These children are serving their spirits."
—Maria Montessori, Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook

For the elementary child, the Silence Game gives way to practical implementation of the skill. It is in place within the child, and silence becomes a more natural and known state. The children use it during class meetings or presentations when it comes in the form of listening. Self-reflection occurs with daily journaling as students chronicle activities and their feelings about their work. There are times when a silence envelops the classroom or only the sound of one child humming in deep concentration fills the room.

As we move into the busy holiday season, I encourage you to add silence to your family’s culture.  The sights and smells of holidays can leave strong imprints that don’t need elaboration with words. There is nothing quite like the silence of the first snowfall, or the twinkling of lights to inspire wonder. I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes by Abraham Herschel. It suggests to me the possibilities of moments of silence:

“Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement.”