Practicing Silence
A Two-Person Short Play
By Bea
Characters
M – Main character. Reflective, anxious, humorous. Struggles with racing thoughts and meditation, seeking stillness.
S – Stranger. Calm, gentle, patient, slightly cheeky. Acts as a quiet guide for M without forcing understanding.
Setting
Scene One & Two: M’s bedroom or personal space, minimal furniture (bed/chair, floor space). Props: laptop, phone, candles, pillows, yoga mat, box.
Scene Three & Four: Outdoor stream. Natural sounds (running water). Rocks or logs for sitting. Soft lighting to suggest calm, evening or early morning ambiance.
Props & Sound:
Candles (fake suggested)
Yoga mat and pillows
Large box (Scene Two)
Phone
Stream sound (live or recorded)
Scene One — The Noise Inside
(Lights warm, soft. M is seated on floor or chair, laptop nearby. Speaks as if thinking aloud.)
M:
My father says, “You never shut up, so how would you know what silence is?”
But of course, he wouldn’t get it. He barely says anything. At least, anything kind or helpful. I wish silence felt softer. I wish it sank into my skin, so it wasn’t just noise in my head, but a vibration within my being. Because, if I really think about it, my fear isn’t the silence of a room. It’s the void it would open up in my mind.
What’s in there? In the silence? Past the fear and the doubt. Behind the exhaustion and insecurities. What’s left?
(Pause. She exhales.)
Well, I’m gonna find out one day. Whether I want to or not. Maybe I’ll try meditation. It’s not impossible. Other people seem to have figured it out. Might as well give it a try.
(She opens laptop, narrating while typing.)
Okay, so… I need candles, soft pillows, yoga mat… oh! And water!
Candles, candles… ah, better get the fake ones. Safety first and all that.
I have enough pillows, but maybe they make ones specifically for meditation—
yep, there’s something for everything these days.
Okay, yoga mats… Pink, green, rainbow… ooo, that one with poses on it would tell me what to do. But, we’re not doing yoga, we’re meditating.
Ooo, this one’s thick! This one it is. (Chuckles to self.)
(Lights dim slightly for scene transition.)
Scene Two — The Attempt
(Lights shift. M enters carrying a large box. She sets it down and begins unpacking.)
M:
This big box for three things?! That’s just unnecessary!
(She pulls out candles, pillows, and yoga mat, placing them carefully. Water bottle within reach.)
(Sits cross-legged on the mat. Breathes in deeply.)
Okay… let’s do this.
(Silence. Finger begins tapping. 30 seconds pass. Shoulders roll. 30 seconds later, neck rolls. Long sigh.)
M:
If I can’t quiet my body, how in the hell am I going to quiet my mind?
(Pulls out phone.)
Okay, meditation video. Play.
(Pauses, squirming.)
This feels slow. I can’t hold my breath that long.
(Switches videos, grimaces.)
Nope. I don’t like that voice.
(Switches again, annoyed.)
This music is too intense.
(Throws phone gently on nearby surface, throws hands up.)
Why is this so fucking hard?!
I just… I just want it to stop.
I want it to stop feeling like everything is always moving a million miles per hour,
and I’m always trying to catch up.
No sound doesn’t work.
Guidance doesn’t work.
I give up.
(M stands, defeat heavy on her shoulders, exits slowly. Lights dim.)
Scene Three — The Stream
(Lights shift to cool hues. Sound of running water begins. M enters barefoot and holding her shoes, carrying exhaustion. She sits on a rock, dips feet in the water softly.)
(Silence. Only water sounds. M breathes, taps water gently with feet.)
Scene Four — Stranger Appears
(S enters quietly. Approaches M.)
S:
Mind if I sit?
M:
Hmm? Oh, no, go ahead.
S:
You okay?
M:
(Chuckles softly.) Define “okay.”
S:
Ahh.
(S sits down near M. Water continues softly.)
M:
Do you ever meditate?
S:
Oh yeah, every morning. I definitely notice on days when I don’t.
M:
How do you do it? How do you stand the silence?
S:
Mmm… Why did you come here? To this spot specifically?
M:
I like the stream. It calms my nerves.
S:
Nature is great at that. Okay, have you tried meditating here?
M:
In front of people?! No. (Chuckles) I just like putting my feet in the water.
Plus, the yoga mat would be pointless on these rocks.
S:
(Laughs, gestures to stream) You don’t need props to meditate.
M:
I know, I just like the aesthetic, I guess.
S:
I can understand that. Are you willing to try something?
M:
(Looks at S, tentative) Sure, why not.
S:
Just sit there and do what you were doing before I joined you. I won’t say anything, but I will sit here with you.
M:
Do I have to close my eyes? Cuz that just makes me anxious.
S:
It would be a shame to miss the beautiful scenery. Allow yourself to be here, in this moment.
No talking is required, but it is also not prohibited.
M:
Okay. (Breathes deeply.) I am one with the earth.
S:
(Smiles gently.)
(Water sounds continue 2–3 minutes. M relaxes slightly.)
M:
There was a stream that ran behind my grandmother’s house. It was my favorite place to sit. They sold her house six years ago when she died.
S:
What was the stream like?
M:
It was nothing like this one. There were no rocks to sit on, just a grassy bank and a narrow stream. On the other side was an empty, vast field.
(Pauses, touches water.)
I always thought meditation would feel… like silence. Like nothing. But it’s never nothing, is it?
S:
No, not really. Silence doesn’t always mean empty. Sometimes it just means… noticing.
M:
Noticing… my thoughts? My racing heart? How chaotic everything feels inside?
S:
Yes. And noticing without judgment. You don’t need to make it stop. You just… acknowledge it. Sit with it.
M:
(Small laugh, tentative)
Sit with it… That feels harder than it sounds.
S:
It is. But it’s also why it’s worth trying. Even for a few seconds, even for a breath.
M:
So it’s not… about getting it right?
S:
No. Not at all. It’s about finding your own way to feel connected, grounded; to feel like yourself. Sometimes that’s silence. Sometimes it’s music, walking, writing… whatever works for you.
(Pause. M looks at water thoughtfully.)
M:
I guess… maybe I can start small. Just being here, with the stream… and not trying to force it.
M:
(Turns to S, soft and grateful)
Thank you… for sitting with me. For saying all that… for not making me feel silly.
Even though… you’re a complete stranger.
S:
(Smiling, cheeky)
Oh, I wasn’t doing it for you… I was just hoping you wouldn’t splash me with your water tantrum.
M:
(Laughs softly, shakes head)
I’ll try to keep my feet in check.
S:
Don’t let anyone tell you that how you meditate is wrong. The entire point of meditation is to anchor into that wholeness of self. So, if you find that connection while walking, or listening to music, or painting, or writing… then you are doing just fine. Can an even deeper connection come while silent and free of distraction? Sure. But if silence feels too loud, continue seeking connection in ways that feel safe and true. The act of intentional seeking strengthens the connection. Over time, silence will start to quiet, and deeper connection is found.
It’s a practice, not an aesthetic.
(Both settle into silence, listening to the stream. Water sounds dominate. Lights fade to soft hues. Scene ends.)
