The Trappists are interesting (especially Thomas Merton) but have relaxed their traditional vows over the past half-century or so. The most truly silent group I know of today are the Carthusians, who live a largely hermitic life within community. They keep strict silence, speaking only through the sung Hours and at specified times on Sundays, and their silence even extends to the written word, although some have been allowed to publish anonymously. Last I heard, there were only a few hundred left. Here's the order's site: http://www.chartreux.org

Yumm... calamansi... oh wait, are those HANGING from his SKIN? Gah!

As a child, I once attended a lecture given by an Indian Yogi who was operating under a 25-year vow of silence. It was very surreal because he had the attention of the whole room, and kept it only by slowly screeching out words on the chalkboard.

After the "speech" my younger brother decided to take a similar vow and was actually relatively successful - five days isn't bad for an 8 year old. It ended on a long car ride when he became enraged after getting a large suction cup stuck to his forehead.

was just reading this last nite :D

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/taoism/#pu

9.5 Pusimplicity (Pre-linguistic Purity)

The Daoist "primitivist" ideal as expressed mainly in the Laozi. It stands for the result of forgetting mingnames and desires (See Wu-wei). The most "detailed" translation is D. C. Lau's "nameless uncarved block." This translation captures Laozi's account of the Daoist contrast theory of language according to which names or language divides things. When societies adopt names or terms, it does so in order to instill and regulate desires for one of the pair created by the name-induced distinction. Thus Daoist forgetting requires forgetting names and distinctions, but in doing so, frees itself from the socially induced, unnatural desires that cause strife and unhappiness in society (e.g. status, rare objects, fame, authority). Thus, "The Nameless uncarved block thus amounts to freedom from desire." (Daode Jing 37)

dunno about the calamansi, altho it's kinda attractive! fresh squeezed calamansi juice w/ honey, mmmmM...

Carlos, thanks for the link to the Carthusian's site! It looks quite beautiful there. If you can read French, the walkthrough is quite nice: http://www.chartreux.org/fr/rapid1.htm. There seems to be an overwhelming sense of peace and quiet there, even in their web site.

And also to Kenny, thanks. You started me thinking about all those poems about Adam naming the animals -- which many poets believe to be the original poetic act -- and how seen from an Eastern viewpoint it is an act of division. I will think about this more, thanks again.

While you're all thinking about silence, here's a beautiful image of Odilon Redon's: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MUSEUM/Armory/galleryJ/J_229_300.b.jpg. It's interesting to consider how silence plays parallel, but also somewhat opposing roles in the lives of the mystic and the artist. The mystic seeks emptiness in order to uncreate the world. The artist's exile leads to its transformation through a creative act.

Hi Caterina. Just to help you in your quest, I thought I would mention that I'm planning to take a vow of silence. I'm 19 and in college, a theater and english major. My purpose however isn't to stay secluded in the world and to find peace in solidarity, nor is it for a religous sect. There are so many ways to say what we want to say, words aren't the only way. As a writer and and actor it's my quest to find how to speak without speaking, or at least saying more by saying less; aside from that, have you ever sat in a conversation that you didn't want to be in for an hour just to be polite or just nod your head along. This is my quest to learn how to communicate more honestly. I also think there's a lot to learn, not neccasarily about life, but just how to communicate and handle my emotions being silent for so long. I have my own reasons for my vow, if you want to take one, know your reason. What do you want to gain from it. You don't have to perform the vow based on someone else's reasons for taking it and someone else's method of taking it. It's your vow. Good luck, and take care.

Here is different angle at looking at the vow of silence. In 1993 (The same year the World Trade Center was first bombed without bringing it down. ) after ten days of prayer, and fasting, I only drank water, and the first three, and a half days not even water, just air, then on the seventh day God answered my prayers, and the tenth day the same happened. I was told "Save the World." About a ten MPH wind blew on my face, but all around the leaves on the trees were absolutely still. I could not understand how I could save the world, so I gave up, but then miracles began to happen. I won't make this letter long by telling them, but one did shake up the USA news media, and it also went around the world. Thousands knew I, and God were behind this miracle. Other miracles later began to happen that aligned up with the book of Revelation, which showed the time is almost here for one third of the world to be destroyed.

Here is the vow of silence that humanity has taken. Tens of thousands know they have seen miracles, and they know it is related to God working through me, but no one will do a thing, and many only get angry with me, but they keep silent. These people are Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, and Muslims. They walk away in anger, or they simply mildly stare at me, or they try to make it like I do not exist. You see, one does not need to take any vow, all they need to do is be the people that will not change even after one third of the world has been destroyed. They still will not honor God, and the people of God. Read Revelation 9:15-21.

So in reality, almost the entire planet has taken the vow of silence.

,Dan

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