Gian Lorenzo Bernini - Dove of the Holy Spirit

Monastic silence is a spiritual practice recommended in a variety of religious traditions for purposes including facilitation of approaching deity, and achieving elevated states of spiritual purity. It may be in accordance with a monk's formal

vow of silence A vow of silence is a vow to maintain silence. Although it is commonly associated with monasticism, no major monastic order takes a vow of silence. Even the most fervently silent orders such as the Carthusians have time in their schedule for talki ...

, but can also engage

laity In religious organizations, the laity () consists of all members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-ordained members of religious orders, e.g. a nun or a lay brother. In both religious and wider secular usage, a layperson ...

who have not taken vows, or novices who are preparing to take vows. Monastic silence is more highly developed in the Roman Catholic faith than in Protestantism, but it is not limited to Catholicism. The practice has a corresponding manifestation in the Orthodox church, which teaches that silence is a means to access God, to develop self-knowledge, or to live more harmoniously. Theophilus, patriarch of Alexandria, placed the virtue of silence on par with the faith itself in a synodal letter from AD 400. "Monks—if they wish to be what they are called—will love silence and the Catholic faith, for nothing at all is more important than these two things."

Practice of silence by ordained and laity

The practice of silence is observed during different parts of the day; practitioners talk when they need to but maintain a sense of silence or a sense of prayer when talking. The rules of silence apply to both vowed practitioners and non-vowed guests. Religious recommendations of silence as

praxis Praxis may refer to: Philosophy and religion * Praxis (process), the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, practised, embodied, or realised * Praxis model, a way of doing theology * Praxis (Byzantine Rite), the practice of fai ...

do not deprecate speech when it is thoughtful and considerate of commonly held values. According to Andrew March of the Benedictine order, we "can listen to substantive speech for hours while five minutes of garrulous speech is too much." It is noteworthy that "silence" can include what is more aptly characterized as "quietness", i.e. speaking in low voice tones. Silence is not an absence of words or thoughts—it is a positive and substantive reality.

Christian contemplative traditions

Old Testament roots

In the book ''Silence, The Still Small Voice of God'', Andrew March establishes the roots of silence doctrine in the

Psalms The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

attributed to David. "Benedict and his monastics would know from chanting the Psalter every week the verse that follows: “I was silent and still; I held my peace to no avail; my distress grew worse, my heart became hot within me. While I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue” (Psalm 39: 3). St. Norbet's Arts Center also anchors its views on silence in the Old Testament: "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation." (Psalm 62)

Aids to practice

The Trappist rubric "Living in silence" illustrates centuries-old hand gestures which were "developed to convey basic communication of work and spirit".

Eastern Orthodox

In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the mystical tradition of

hesychasm Hesychasm (; Greek: Ησυχασμός) is a contemplative monastic tradition in the Eastern Orthodox Church in which stillness (''hēsychia'') is sought through uninterrupted Jesus prayer. While rooted in early Christian monasticism, it took it ...

emphasizes the importance of ''

hesychia The Greek term ''hesychia'' (, ) is a concept that can be translated as "stillness, rest, quiet, silence". In Christianity In hesychasm, an Eastern Orthodox Christian mystical tradition, it refers to the state of stillness and peace that is obt ...

'' ('silence' or 'stillness').

Benedictine

Silence plays a salient role in the

Benedictine rule The ''Rule of Saint Benedict'' ( la, Regula Sancti Benedicti) is a book of precepts written in Latin in 516 by St Benedict of Nursia ( AD 480–550) for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. The spirit of Saint Benedict's Ru ...

. It is thought that by clearing the mind of distraction, one may listen more attentively to the deity. Christian theology differs from Dharmic religions with regard to the mode in which spiritual ascent transpires within the context of contemplative quiet. Buddhism and Hinduism promote various spiritual practices, as do many Christian denominations. However, Christianity, particularly Protestantism, emphasizes the belief that ultimate spiritual achievement is not within the grasp of mortals, no matter how persistent their practice may be. Rather, the mechanism of spiritual attainment, which they regard as salvation and proximity to the deity, is believed to occur solely through supernatural mechanism. This mechanism is variously described as the action of God, conceived as the Father, or by action of the Holy Spirit. This mechanism of action, whether conceptualized as the Father or the Spirit, is called ''grace''. In contemplative practice, the role of silence is expressed by the Fr. David Bird, OSB, (Order of St. Benedict): "When both our interior and exterior are quiet, God will do the rest."

Cistercian

Cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...

monastics have remained active in the promotion of contemplative

meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally cal ...

. Part of the emphasis is on achieving spiritual ascent, but monastic silence also functions to avoid sin. Although speech is morally neutral ''per se'', the Epistle of James (3:1–12) and writers of the monastic tradition see silence as the only effective means of neutralizing a tendency towards sins of the tongue. There is an ongoing dialogue between Benedictine and Cistercian which speaks of a "monastic archetype" characterized by peace and silence.

Trappist

Trappist The Trappists, officially known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance ( la, Ordo Cisterciensis Strictioris Observantiae, abbreviated as OCSO) and originally named the Order of Reformed Cistercians of Our Lady of La Trappe, are a ...

’s commitment to silence is a monastic value which assures solitude in community. It fosters mindfulness of God and fraternal communion. It opens the mind to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and favours attentiveness of the heart and solitary prayer to God. Early monastic communities evolved simple hand signing for essential communications. Spoken conversations between monks are permitted, but limited according to the norms established by the community and approved by the Order.

Protestantism

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

pastor and evangelist

Frederick Brotherton Meyer Frederick Brotherton Meyer (8 April 1847 – 28 March 1929), a contemporary and friend of D. L. Moody and A. C. Dixon, was a Baptist pastor and evangelist in England involved in ministry and inner city mission work on both sides of the Atlan ...

(1847–1929), a member of the

Higher Life movement The Higher Life movement, also known as the Keswick movement or Keswickianism, is a Protestant theologies, Protestant theological tradition within evangelical Christianity that espouses a distinct teaching on the doctrine of entire sanctificatio ...

, developed a strong commitment to silence, which he saw as one of the ways to gain access to God's guidance on all matters. FB Meyer exerted a deep influence on

Frank Buchman Franklin Nathaniel Daniel Buchman (June 4, 1878 – August 7, 1961), best known as Frank Buchman, was an American Lutheran who founded the First Century Christian Fellowship in 1921 (known after 1928 as the Oxford Group) that was transformed un ...

(1878–1961), originally a Protestant evangelist who founded the

Oxford Group The Oxford Group was a Christian organization (first known as ''First Century Christian Fellowship'') founded by the American Lutheran minister Frank Buchman in 1921. Buchman believed that fear and selfishness were the root of all problems. Fur ...

(known as Moral Re-Armament from 1938 until 2001, and as

Initiatives of Change Initiatives of Change (IofC) is a global organisation dedicated to "building trust across the world's divides" of culture, nationality, belief, and background. Initiatives of Change was known as Moral Re-Armament (MRA) from 1938 to 2001, and the ...

since then). Foundational to Buchman's spirituality was the practice of a daily "quiet time" during which, he claimed, anyone could search for, and receive, divine guidance on every aspect of their life. Dr Karl Wick, editor of the Swiss Catholic daily ''Vaterland'', wrote that Buchman had "brought silence out of the monastery into the home, the marketplace, and the board room." Buchman, in turn, taught thousands to "listen and obey", finding amazing resonance with non-Christian as well as Christian religions.

Silence practice in Judaism

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...

has a tradition of silence in sacred space and in sacred structures. Although technically not classified as monasteries, synagogues, yeshivas, and (house of study) are the models, along with the

Tanakh The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
''

minyan In Judaism, a ''minyan'' ( he, מניין \ מִנְיָן ''mīnyān'' , lit. (noun) ''count, number''; pl. ''mīnyānīm'' ) is the quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. In more traditional streams of Jud ...

with five minutes of silence during which each person can engage in his or her own personal preparation for

tefillah Jewish prayer ( he, תְּפִלָּה, ; plural ; yi, תּפֿלה, tfile , plural ; Yinglish: davening from Yiddish 'pray') is the prayer recitation that forms part of the observance of Rabbinic Judaism. These prayers, often with i ...

Isadore Twersky Isadore Twersky (born Yitzchak Asher Twersky, October 9, 1930 – October 12, 1997) was an Orthodox rabbi and Hasidic Rebbe, and university professor who held the position of the '' Nathan Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosop ...

states in Introduction to the Code of Maimonides: "One must be attuned to the silences". Judaism also teaches that the Ten Commandments were given to the Jews in complete silence and that If you want to encounter God, you need to experience silence.

Merton: bridging contemplative traditions

One of the leading exponents of monastic contemplative awareness is

Thomas Merton Thomas Merton (January 31, 1915 – December 10, 1968) was an American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist and scholar of comparative religion. On May 26, 1949, he was ordained to the Catholic priesthood and giv ...

From Thoughts in Solitude (1956)

According to Merton, silence represents a form of transcending

paradoxes A paradox is a logically self-contradictory statement or a statement that runs contrary to one's expectation. It is a statement that, despite apparently valid reasoning from true premises, leads to a seemingly self-contradictory or a logically u ...

such as he may have encountered in

zazen ''Zazen'' (literally " seated meditation"; ja, 座禅; , pronounced ) is a meditative discipline that is typically the primary practice of the Zen Buddhist tradition. However, the term is a general one not unique to Zen, and thus technicall ...

training.

The Asian Journal

Monastic life

Contemplative silence as protest

In addition to being a major figure in the field of contemplative studies, Merton expressed awareness of social issues conscience.

East-West concurrence on role of silent practice

Monastic silence is a category of practice which unites faiths and contributes a perennial topic of convergence between eastern and western traditions. Father Thomas Keating is the founder of Contemplative Outreach and former abbot of St. Benedict's Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado. He states that "as in Buddhism, Christianity has several contemplative methods. The methods of contemplative prayer are expressed in two traditions: centering prayer, which we represent, and Christian Meditation, designed by John Main, which is now spreading rapidly throughout the world under the charismatic leadership of Father Lawrence Freeman." Keating's approach is more directly influenced by his collaboration with Buddhists from various traditions, whereas Main is influenced by his travels among Indian Hindus. Keating states that one "progresses eventually to Christ nature or Buddha nature" Keating distinguishes his contemplative method from that of John Main, another teacher of Christian mindfulness, but states an affinity for "interior silence". "The John Main approach is a little different than ours, but both go in the same direction: moving beyond dependence on concepts and words to a direct encounter with God on the level of faith and interior silence." Fr. James Conner, OCSO wrote about the Fifth Christian–Buddhist Contemplative Conference held at the Naropa Institute in which ordained practitioners from Zen, Vajrayana, and Catholic monastic lineages conducted meditation and discussion. According to Conner, wordless prayer is designed to transcend rational processes to allow perception of an exalted state. "Zen says that Buddha-nature begins where the rational level ends. The same is taught in Christianity. One is to practice thoughtless, wordless prayer and thus perceive the divine presence."

Silence motif injected into cross-cultural adaptation

Silence is interjected into this Christian parable in some circles. :One of master Gasan's monks visited the university in Tokyo. When he returned, he asked the master if he had ever read the Christian Bible. "No," Gasan replied, "Please read some of it to me." The monk opened the Bible to the Sermon on the Mount in St. Matthew, and began reading. After reading Christ's words about the lilies in the field, he paused. Master Gasan was silent for a long time. "Yes," he finally said, "Whoever uttered these words is an enlightened being. What you have read to me is the essence of everything I have been trying to teach you here!" The original rendering of this syncope or parable from the Gospel of Luke does not incorporate silence. The adaptation into Zen tradition could have omitted the role of silence. This particular use of silence is neither monastic nor vowed, but the dialogue may well have taken place in a monastery rather than a university. Buddhism and Christianity are not the only traditions enunciating the virtues of quietism. The

Tao Te Ching The ''Tao Te Ching'' (, ; ) is a Chinese classic text written around 400 BC and traditionally credited to the sage Laozi, though the text's authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated. The oldest excavated portion d ...

enunciates a view of the supreme value of doing absolutely nothing, in a profound metaphysical sense. This is called

wu wei ''Wu wei'' () is an ancient Chinese concept literally meaning "inexertion", "inaction", or "effortless action". ''Wu wei'' emerged in the Spring and Autumn period, and from Confucianism, to become an important concept in Chinese statecraft and Ta ...

and is consistent with the concept of sunyata more fully elaborated in Buddhism. According to the Tao Te Ching, silence is merely the application of this concept to the tongue in addition to hands and feet.

Application of monastic silence practice outside of religious context

The spiritual practice of silence has been extended into the healthcare setting under the rubric of Mind-Body healing. Dr. Jack Engler of the Theravada tradition of Buddhism is Director of the Schiff Psychiatric Center at Harvard University and participates in Christian–Buddhist dialogue. Dr Engller lived as a novice at the Abbey of Gethsemane, which is affiliated with Merton, and studied Buddhist meditation practices in Burma and India.

References

{{reflist, colwidth=30em Silence Asceticism Monasticism