SILENCE

WHAT IS SILENCE? ( in general )

- Silence is the relative or total lack of audible sound.

- may also refer to any absence of communication, even in media other than speech, silence is also used as total communication, in reference to non-verbal communication and spiritual connection. - silence can be interpreted as positive or negative

Silence in SPIRITUALITY
A silent mind, freed from the onslaught of thoughts and thought patterns, is both a goal and an important step in spiritual development is not about the absence of sound

"inner silence"
it is understood to bring one in contact with the divine, the ultimate reality, or one's own true self St. John of the Cross- silence the first language of God Thomas Merton- silence is our admission that we have broken communication with God and are now willing to listen. Silence allows a connection to God beyond what words can express. Silence allows us to allow God to reach out to us and hold us in His arms.

Many religious traditions imply the importance of being quiet and still in mind and spirit for transformative and integral spiritual growth to occur:
1. Christianity- there is the silence of contemplative prayer such as Centering Prayer and Meditation. 2. Islam- there are the wisdom writings of the Sufis who insist on the importance of finding silence within. 3. Buddism - the descriptions of silence and allowing the mind to become silent are implied as a feature of spiritual Enlightenment. 4. Hinduism - including the teachings of Advaita Vedanta and the many paths of yoga, teachers insist on the importance of silence for inner growth.

BENEFITS of SILENCE
1. Silence gives your mind a Room for Introspection 2. Silence helps you to build Awareness about your Innermost Thoughts 3. Silence brings Clarity to thought 4. The Clarity of Silence gives you the pristine gift of Wise Choice 5. Wise Choices will ultimately lead to a Beautiful Life

Silence and Retreat

Silence renews us and provides a perspective that subtlety changes our relationship with the life we know the solitude of a retreat will provide an interval of stillness and gentle concentration, a pause in the constant and unremitting demands" of our daily life. "By practicing silence, you nurture your listening skills. You find your true self. You hear the quiet voice of God. (Timothy Jones) The retreat environment provides one with time to experience the peace and joy of meditation and contemplation in his quest for the Divine. Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. ( Hindu Prince Gautama Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C. ) The idea is that in silence one can't hide from one's problems, or from God. Silence is certainly not a finality in itself: we do not practice silence for silences sake, but in view of some other good.

The Origin of Noise

In Paradise there was, in the moral sense of the term, no noise, for all things contributed together to the glorification of God and the edification of man. Created in grace, all mans faculties were ordered to the good, to God, in a wonderful symphony of love. Man loved God intensely and supremely by nature and even more by the divine gift of friendship. The infused virtues exercised sweet dominion within human nature, for man had also received the preternatural gift of integrity, whereby all the lower faculties of body and soul were wholly docile to his intellect and will. In his own being man was a veritable paradise. Peace and harmony reigned there, the dialogue of love was framed in holy silence, for there was nothing inordinate in Adam and Eves own nature, in their contact with God, with one another, or with creation about them. Disorder, dissonance (noise), discordance are the afterbirth of Original Sin. Though not destroyed, our nature was damaged by Original Sin. Although the natural inclination and longing for God remain, the Sirens of self-love seek vigorously to install themselves upon the throne in our heart. While

continuing to seek good things all the faculties clamour in a disordered way, wanting only their own pleasures. Noise dissipates and fatigues the soul; in silence we gather our forces. Silence restores order and brings peace, which St. Augustine defines as "the tranquility of order". Without discipline of holy silence Christ cannot reign as King in our heart!

To enforce silence for the clients:

1. Take away all the gadgets that will distract the clients: cellphones, cameras ( let a teacher take charge of the picture taking making sure that it is properly done and with the proper timing- need for discretion specially for emotional situations, avoiding posed pics., etc. ), musical instruments, watches, etc. ). Preferably all of these have been collected on or before arriving in the retreat house; to be given back before going home (inside the bus except for the cameras) 2. Give them ample time to talk during breaks and during sharing time.

How to send clients for silent reflections:

1. Clarify the activity that will be done. 2. Give a step-by-step instruction on how the silent reflection will happen ( ex. Look for a place-alone, position, pause, pray, reflect, pray, wait for the bell, etc. ). 3. Limit the distances and places for reflection: only to those that can help them reflect ( ex. 1 person per hut, 3 meters minimum, etc. ) 4. You can start with a silencing activity, like a prayer or hinga-langin. 5. Send out the clients one at a time. 6. Play a meditative background music, preferably that which is not known or minus one. 7. There is a need to go around for 5 minutes together with the teachers to make sure silence being kept. ( perfect time to distribute letters, etc. )