On June 27, 2007, I launched the "National Moment of Stillness" live on Irish natiional radio, on the Derek Mooney Show.

The producers courageously agreed to host thirty seconds of total silence live on air. No background music or sound effects: just silence.

In the world of radio production, total silence is one of the worst things imaginable.  It is often called "dead time" or "dry air" and producers naturally assume that people will tune out. But this time turned out to be very much alive. People tuned in.

Listeners were told the appointed time in advance so they could get ready. Just before we started, I offered some training in one-moment meditation. Then people from all over Ireland stopped what they were doing -- turning off their phones, pulling off the road -- to experience the silence together.

Said the program host, Derek Mooney, on the following day, "the whole nation was enthralled."