Speaking Tree: Using silence to converse

One of the most powerful quotes on human wisdom is Ramana Maharshi's 'Silence is also conversation'. Though it sounds like an oxymoron, silence, indeed, is a form of conversation. In fact, it's the most effective way to converse when words become redundant and ideas become hazy and obscure. When words become chaotic, silence becomes noetic.

Silence is a catalyst that facilitates a conversation. One must resort to that precise psychological moment when and where to say nothing. A fruitful and productive conversation is all about calculated pauses or moments of silence. Remember Atal Bihari Vajpayee's famous pauses during all his speeches and conversations. Those were pauses required to maintain the momentum of a conversation. Rumi says, 'I don't pray all the time because that's conversation; a crowd of words. I remain silent for hours to listen to what He tells me.'

Silence is needed to hear and understand the words and perspectives of other persons. Wisdom descends when one's silent. Silence is the first step to enlightenment and rapprochement. Lovers can settle their tiffs if they choose to say nothing at times! Practise silence once in a while and you'll realise its calming effect on your whole existence because silence is the language the Universe employs when it speaks with you.