4 Lessons from the Silence of the Monks
A blue, crystalized vase is carried through the bustling streets of the ancient metropolis. Within it is contained a transparent Liquid, almost luminous, and it is carried by a man veiled in tattered robes. He is not clothed in the glamorous robes of the city prefect, or engaged in the amusements of the theater. He walks in complete stillness, noticing the sounds and general purview of the city, but never letting too much detail sink in. This great vase of recollection, containing the waters of interior meditation, focus, and peace, was the great strength and hallmark of the middle ages. The spreading of monasticism across Europe and further on, through the rules of Benedict, Cassian, and Basil, would be the source of so much scholarship, edification, and progress. It would help cultivate the barbarian mind to a life of work and introspection, so prone to wild lasciviousness and duplicity of mind. It would be a constant presence even with the progress of science, politics, and society. Unfortunately, this spirit has been almost completely lost. The modern individual, with so much ample stimulation, can no longer focus, is an addict of pleasure, and is no better than the Romans of times past in all of their immoral decadence. Men no longer frequent orgies, but they participate in virtual ones. The vanity of many women is past the point of prudence and has created a cult of the body. The stage that has been set to compete in is altogether inorganic and the source of much personal angst. There is no longer silence, only constant noise. Too often goals are aligned to a quest for either pleasure or power. As free as we claim to be, we are slaves to passion and vice, devoid of any spiritual feeling and charity, and so focused on the self that it becomes almost impossible to see past one’s little profile. We are all novices to a life of silence, as a worldwide quarantine has showed how incapable we are of possessing an interior life. Now more than ever would be a great time to start to live a life that is more centered, balanced, and in tune with the universal stillness of the universe. It is the ability to do what nature does so beautifully, to be complete chaos and destruction whilst being completely silent, that will help the modern person find joy. In this article, I will mainly be focusing on the Judeo-Christain principles that can help us live like the monks. I will leave it to one more well versed in Buddhism and other eastern religions to give an equivalent of what I lay here.
Tenet#1: The Hours
Every day the monk follows a routine of prayer called the liturgy of the hours. Interspersed throughout the day, these periods of silence and spiritual adoration bring an intermittent pause to the tasks of the day. In contrast, the stream of new stimuli and rumination from one thought to another keeps us from being still for even a few moments throughout our day. Rather than taking a few minutes to meditate, we decide to check social media. This only creates more chaos in our minds. The beauty of the hours is that it brings fresh nourishment to work. Rather than begrudgingly going through the burdens of labor, the mind has had enough rest to be able to focus. What I mean is, there is less burden from the constant pressure that is commonly put on the mind. There is more room for experiencing flow, because by being able to pause throughout the day, it becomes easier to become immersed in the present moment. If you can, find a way to implement your own form of the hours. Whether that be 2 minutes every 2 hours to completely shut off your mind (or at least attempt to) it will be a start towards a life of greater calmness.
Tenet #2: Lectio
In the monastic tradition, there is a practice called Lectio Divina, which is Latin for divine reading. In this practice, a monk would choose a passage from the bible, and would reflect on it for a period of time. The purpose of this was to fill the monk with a love for spiritual things, and to help him foster whatever virtue that passage was focused on. There is something that we can learn from this. Now while the bible is a source of many great lessons and parables, it is not the only means to apply this principle. You can take any great book, whether it be about philosophy or some other spiritual guide, and apply this same technique. Ruminate over a passage of your liking, one that pertains to some problem you want to deal with or quality you want to acquire, and just sit still and let the sentiment of the pages fill your mind. In lieu of Lectio and meditation, we have used music in an almost abusive manner to influence our emotions. With most music only reinforcing the modern paradigms and the current trends that cause us pain, the practice of lectio will help to heal any social preconditioning that is making you unwell. It will be like a lyre singing sweet songs of contemplation, as you think of loftier ideals and your heart soars to greater heights of purest emotion.
Tenet #3: Ora et Labora
As you work, you will notice that oftentimes you are thinking about a million other things besides what you’re doing. You may be thinking about a text you haven’t looked at, somebody’s new post, or what you’re having for dinner. The difficulty of completely immersing yourself in a task has no need of being said. As you begin to apply lectio, you may begin to find that it becomes easier to focus on your work. Eventually, you will reach the ideal of ora et labora, which means to make your work a prayer. Rather than just sitting in a room and praying all day, the monks actually led quite vigorous lives. Manual labor was an important part of their routine. What separates us from them is that their time of labor was no different from their time of recollection, as both fed into each other. This way of seeing work is the complete opposite of how we view it. The minute we begin, we are already thinking of the end. If we were able to see our work as more of a prayer, it would be easier to focus on each part of a task. But how would that prayer look like? The monks did their work for the love of God. Try to attach some lofty sentiment of love or gratitude into whatever you’re doing. In this way, the process will no longer feel so agonizing, but of course, beginning a routine like the hours will be crucial in developing this skill.
Tenet #4: Fasting and Acts of Self-Denial
When people think of the penances that people like monks would impose upon themselves in times past, they imagine a masochistic human being who derives some sort of strange pleasure from pain. It is quite the contrary. The monks sought these acts of self-denial to help avoid pain. By fasting and other similar acts, the noise of the body’s desires is able to be silenced. The sirens of lust and the rapaciousness of the belly are distractions that plague most people. The plethora of fast-food and the countless stream of lewd images around us reinforce our addiction to pleasure. This, in turn, makes it quite difficult to do things such as prayer and meditation. That is why it is oftentimes necessary to do acts of self-denial. It calms the body so that the mind can heal. It is difficult at first, but it assuages so many of the other difficulties that plague us. This means less pleasure, but also more peace. Another direct result is that dopamine addiction is reduced, and delayed-gratification is easier for your mind to comprehend. Bodily disciplines don’t only serve to help someone like a monk achieve spiritual perfection, it can also help you achieve your goals.
Go then, and ascend the great mountain and find shelter in the arms of the monastery. Take delight in the waterfalls of a clear mind, and wash away the filthy stream of noise and addiction. With practice, you will find your fear of silence decreasing, and you will begin to even enjoy it. The life of a monk was not morose or dull as many would portray it. It was a life of peace, joy, and vitality. Hopefully we can learn something from them, and breathe forth a candor of enlightened living.
