Om Swami
Why is gossip harmful to my spiritual practice and how can I avoid it?
Gossip eats away your penance
Gossip eats away the power of your penance (your spiritual discipline). Don't think you can simply control yourself; use a reminder, such as a little badge, and tell anyone who starts to gossip that you are not supposed to.
Instead, put on a little badge or something, or if the other person starts to gossip, tell them: listen, I'm not supposed to gossip, because it eats away the power of your penance.