Shhushing

“Speak only if it improves upon the silence.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

Nothing improves Silence; the unmoving, silent, peaceful state of the Self that is beyond and prior to the antonyms of noise and physical quietness. It is near perfect.

"The Guru (the Source) is quiet and peace prevails in all. His silence is vaster and more emphatic than all the scriptures put together.

Initiation by silence is the most perfect; it comprises looking, touching and teaching. It will purify the individual in every way and establish him in the Reality." Sri Ramana Maharishi

So it is the Guru, the Teacher, who must be silent but not to improve silence! Depending on the students' perspective it is contradiction, paradox or said to quiet un-quietness. It is often misused by those who want to still voices that aren't appreciated.

Better to be more direct and truthful. Or simply enter into Silence and establish Awareness.

I recently attended a Satsang and this quote was paraphrased. "Dayanand, will your speaking now improve the silence?" My immediate response was, "Never."

I realize that speaking is imperfect and there is no substitute for inward looking.

The curious nature of the exchange was that the person was soliciting ideas from the group. Obviously not everyone in the group!

But teaching is teaching even by the power of negative example.
So on 1 January, 2019, in the same place Yogi Ramsuratkumar directed me to stop speaking and enter deeper into silence.