Eloquent Silence with Fushin James Bristol

[@shawnhampton8503]

Beautiful talk. Thank you. 🙏 The Trappists, or Cistercians of the Strict Observance, did not take Vows of silence. This is a common misconception. No monastics in the Christian Tradition ever vowed silence. In order to be a true vow this must be made involving a "good". Silence in and of itself is neither virtue or vice, but can be either depending on the intention. The Trappists had a strict custom of silence however, and this is where the myth of a "vow" arose. Monks were not allowed to speak to anyone outside of their confessor, the Abbot, Novice Master or Student Master or if their Obedience (regular duty in the monastery) required speaking, such as the Guest Master, or for some work related reason. Sign language, a type invented in the monasteries in France, was used often. Monks could be seen using this quite a lot, which kind of defeated the spirit of silence overall in the end. From the end of Compline (final night prayer of the day) until the morning after Prime, the "Great Silence" was kept, in which all communication, even sign language, was not allowed, except in a grave emergency of some sort.