silence Archives - Page 6 of 10

Stillness and Silence: Speaking of Silence (Part I)

01/18/2018

Abba Poemen said, “In Abba Pambo we see three bodily activities; abstinence from food until the evening every day, silence, and much manual work.”26 A brother asked Abba Poemen, “Is it better to speak or to be silent?” The old man said to him, “The man who speaks for God’s sake does well; but he who is silent for God’s sake also does well.”27 Stillness provides an environment for silence. Abba Poemen understands silence as

Stillness and Silence: Wonder, Gratitude and Generosity Flow from the Well of Stillness

01/11/2018

One day Abba Arsenius consulted an old Egyptian monk about his own thoughts. Someone noticed this and said to him, “Abba Arsenius, how is it that you, with such a good Latin and Greek education, ask this peasant about your thoughts?” He replied, “I have indeed been taught Latin and Greek, but I do not know even the alphabet of this peasant.”21 Stillness opens the heart of the monk to a sense of wonder. When

Stillness and Silence: Stillness Is the Colleague of Prayer

11/09/2017

The tranquility born of stillness is the grace of God present in a person’s life. This leads us away from the vanity and futility of material pleasures, unhealthy relationships and the struggle of our egos to control our lives. How does this happen? Abba Moses said to Abba Poemen, “If a man’s deeds are not in harmony with his prayer, he labours in vain.” The brother said, “What is this harmony between practice and prayer?”

Stillness and Silence: Stillness (Part II)

11/02/2017

The interior object of stillness is the life and health of each person’s soul. The wisdom of the sayings quoted above summarize the grace made possible in stillness: mindfulness of one’s sins; avoidance of the futility of material pleasures and concerns that mask a person from his or her soul’s health; prayer and meditation; and inner peace leading to a heart that wills what God desires. Abba Peomen goes on to illustrate that the fruits

Stillness and Silence: Stillness (Part I)

10/27/2017

Stillness A brother asked Abba Poemen, “How should I live in the cell?” He said to him, “Living in your cell clearly means manual work, eating only once a day, silence, meditation; but really making progress in the cell, means to experience contempt for yourself, not to neglect the hours of prayer and to pray secretly. If you happen to have time without manual work, take up prayer and do it without disquiet. The perfection

Inner Stillness: The Language of Stillness

10/25/2017

In Living Prayer, Metropolitan Anthony Bloom wrote, “The Greek Fathers set this silence, which they called hesychia, both as the starting-point and the final achievement of prayer.” What does this silence look like? Silence is a way, a state of soul, in which all the powers of the soul and the faculties of the body are completely at peace, quiet, and recollected, perfectly alert yet free from any turmoil or agitation. 2 In the Philokalia,

Stillness and Silence: Being Present to God, Ourselves, and the World

10/19/2017

While still living in the palace, Abba Arsenius prayed to God in these words, “Lord, lead me in the way of salvation.” And a voice came saying to him, “Arsenius, flee from men and you will be saved.”1 Having withdrawn to the solitary life he made the same prayer again and he heard a voice saying to him, “Arsenius, flee, be silent, pray always, for these are the sources of sinlessness.”2 The call of Abba

You Are Not in Control

09/04/2017

To be in control of one’s destiny, health, career, or finances seems to be an unquestionable cultural value. On a practical level it may be partially true, but not on the bigger level. Our bodies, our souls, and especially our failures, teach us this as we get older. We are clearly not in control. This is not a negative discovery, but a thrilling discovery of divine providence; being led, used, and guided; having an inner

PRAYING WITH ICONS AND STATUES

07/19/2017

Icons and statuary make important contributions to any spiritual environment that nurtures prayer. Morning after morning, I used to watch a ninety-eight-year-old woman walk brightly into church and take her usual seat. She would turn her head slightly to the right and give a nod to the statue of Mary and then turn her head a good deal more to the left and wink at the statue of St. Joseph. She would then sit down

PRAYERS OF ST. ISAAC THE SYRIAN

06/13/2017

As my soul bows to the ground I offer to you with all my bones and with all my heart the worship that befits you. O glorious God, who dwell in ineffable silence, you have built for my renewal a tabernacle of love on earth where it is your good pleasure to rest, a temple made of flesh and fashioned with the most holy oil of the sanctuary. Then you filled it with your holy

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Stillness and Silence: Speaking of Silence (Part I)

Stillness and Silence: Wonder, Gratitude and Generosity Flow from the Well of Stillness

Stillness and Silence: Stillness Is the Colleague of Prayer

Stillness and Silence: Stillness (Part II)

Stillness and Silence: Stillness (Part I)

Inner Stillness: The Language of Stillness

Stillness and Silence: Being Present to God, Ourselves, and the World

You Are Not in Control

PRAYING WITH ICONS AND STATUES

PRAYERS OF ST. ISAAC THE SYRIAN

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