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Your silence should not be the silence of a graveyard, your silence should be the silence of a garden.

This quote points to the profound yet often misunderstood essence of silence. The silence of a graveyard is dead, morbid, and full of melancholy. It is the silence that comes with absence, with nothingness. It signifies the end of life, music, laughter, and joy. A graveyard’s silence is after everything has disappeared; it is the silence of desolation and emptiness.

On the other hand, the silence of a garden is alive, it is a vibrant silence. It is the silence of being utterly present and filled with the existence splashing its myriad colours, fragrances, and forms. In a garden, even though there is silence, it is the silence that listens – to the bees’ buzz, the rustle of leaves in the wind, the chirping of birds, the soft whisper of butterfly wings. This silence is a presence; it is pregnant with life, pulsating with possibility, overflowing with peace that comes from being in harmony with nature.

Your inner silence should be like that garden. It should be a dynamic, rich, and fertile space within you. It is the backdrop of mindfulness against which the sounds and activities of life can be fully experienced and enjoyed. It is not an emptiness or numbness, but a fullness, a contentedness, a peace that permeates every aspect of your being.

When your silence is that of a garden, you are fully alive, open to the subtleties of existence, and in awe of the sheer beauty that life offers. You are in a state of receptivity, where every input from your senses brings you more in touch with the divine play of creation.

Cultivating this kind of silence within you creates a space for true understanding, compassion, and joy. It nourishes your soul, feeds your intellect and allows you to connect deeply with yourself and others.

So, meditate not just to still the mind, but to enliven it with the silence of a garden. Let this living silence be the ground from which all your actions, words, and thoughts emanate, and you will see how life transforms into an eternal celebration.