Silence in a Circle is often quite powerful, especially with a fire or other attention-focus in the middle. -- Tom
Silence supports rumination. --Tree
When Dissonance and Difference begin to interfere and people are blocking it, fighting it, or running away from it, a few minutes of silence gives an opportunity to shift the energy. -- Tom
Expressive arts strategies often use other than verbal modes and can be engaged alone, so can be done in silence. --Sue
Natural sounds accentuate Nature's Silence, which is very potent for the human spirit. Conscious use of this -- as in sending participants out into nature for an hour of silent solo reflection -- can have a profound impact. --- Tom
Does the group's culture honor silence? If not, it can make people uncomfortable and should be used in small doses. If it does, it can be used extensively to deepen and pace the group. -- Tom
Someone asking for a moment of silence is often very helpful if the energy is getting to intense, fast, heady or adversarial. -- Tom
Holding Space for silence, and silence helps hold space. --Tree
Silence is another mode. --Tree
If you think you will be using Silence at all during the gathering, make sure that the site you choose has Silence available. Being near a construction site or playground won't cut it. And if you plan to feature Silence, choose a site whose Silence is deep, profound, and pervading. -- Tom
Silence helps with Presence. --Tree
This can range from "a moment of silence" to "five minutes of silent reflection while you consider this question individually" to "an hour of silent meditation or reflection together", depending on the Purpose and the Group Culture. -- Tom
Silence can be a ritual, or part of one. --Tree
Knowing when to use silence, and when not. --Tree
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