Monastic Silence

Silence. It is an essential monastic observance. Monasteries are houses of silence. Why?

Silence makes you deal with yourself, without distractions or interruptions. When you are silent, your thoughts and emotions are more perceptible. You have an opportunity to address those things that need to be changed in yourself, to take stock of your actions, to reflect on your life.

Silence is also necessary to find God. He dwells in the silence of your heart. You can find him in that silence; in fact, it is almost impossible to find him otherwise.

Monastic silence is not a lack of sound; monastic silence is an exterior manifestation of interior reflection, meditation, examine, and prayer.

If you would be a monastic, wherever you are or whatever your life style, you need monastic silence. Be still, without a prayer book open in front of you, or earplugs jammed into your ears, and sit quietly. Learn to listen to that silence. Learn to open your heart to that silence. It takes time. But you reap rich rewards from the lesson, learning to perceive a world that is neither tangible nor common.