Solitude and Silence

This is something I've tried over the past few years with very little success. I've read most of the classic on the disciplines and have found a lot of my growth having come from there practice. But for some reason, being silent just hasn’t produced any notable changes. I've tried all the different techniques noted in these great books but with little success. Then one Sunday night not too long ago, Daniel at Sojourn mentioned something in his sermon that sparked my interest in giving it another try. He referenced the Ultimate Fighting Championships that were very popular with my friends and I about 10 years ago. The UFCs televised cage matches, pitting opponents of different fighting styles together in an octagon with no limits. You fight until you can’t fight any longer, or you simply tap the floor and the ref will stop the fight. Daniel recalled two different approaches the majority of the fighters would take. One called for a lot of hype before the fight, with loud music, jumping and hitting of the chest and arms to get pumped up. Once in the fight, the fighter would stay true to the form he was taught and follow the rigid technique he was taught. What it boiled down to was nothing more than walking around in circles for a while with the other fighter until one made the first move or threw the first punch. The second approach called for a raw and, as Daniel pointed out, more effective approach. This fighter would enter the octagon focused with very little hype, face their opponent and once the bell rings, it was like saying “sick em” to a dog. They’d come out swinging, putting their opponent on the floor in some sort of submission hold or having them in a sort of defensive position. No technique involved, just get in there and go to work. This was the approach I was to take towards silence and solitude. Don’t wait around for something to happen, just go in there and do it. I was recently given a book with the title "Silence and Solitude" by Ruth Hailey Barton that has said basically the same thing, minus the fighting stuff. She also states that it's not the length of the period of silence, but the regularity and consistency of it. So, Mr/Ms/Mrs Reader, I encourage you to try this with me.