Though Jesus spent a good deal of time teaching and talking with people, he also took time out for silence and solitary prayer. He was consistent about going “off to a quiet place to pray.” Jesus understood something that so many of the mystics and saints of all religions have understood—that silence is crucial for our spiritual health. If we don’t take time to seek silence, we will never hear God’s still small voice over all the other voices clamoring for our attention.
To practice silence and solitude, we need to make time for it. That could mean carving out 30 minutes at the beginning or end of your day and finding a quiet place in your house where you can sit, journal, or read a devotional text. It could mean going away on silent retreat for a weekend or taking a 20-minute walk in the woods once a week. Perhaps you can schedule one half-day of silence per month, or a day of silence once every few months. There is no one way to practice silence and solitude, the trick is to find what works for you and your schedule.
For further reading:
The Sabbath, by Abraham Joshua Heschel