On Silence: Stop Overtalking and Underthinking
Reya Bato
One of my favorite fictitious characters in the world of novels is Clara del Valle Trueba, the clairvoyant daughter of Severo and Nivea. It is not her paranormal powers which roused my interest in her character but the idea that at the age of ten, she stopped speaking for nine years. How did she do that when in this noisy world, talking becomes one of the ways to acknowledge that a person really exists? There is a fear of silence in today’s generation. It seems that being silent is being oppressed. Everyone wants to be heard. Just look at the social networking sites, all are talking, worrying, giving their opinion, saying what they have done, what they own, what they are feeling, thinking or doing at the moment. Do they still have time to absorb what they had said?
I like to talk. I, too, am guilty of overtalking and underthinking. There are many situations when someone told me to stop talking and listen first. Many people have been hurt by my spontaneous talking and I experienced being in a soup because of my carelessness.
The Bible has a lot to say about keeping the mouth shut. One of them is Proverbs 21:23 - ‘Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble’. It is likely impossible to speak a lot and not to hurt others, intentionally and unintentionally. The longer we talk, the more insensitive response, unkind word, and gossips we are having. Keeping our mouth and tongue can be used to lessen our vulnerability. The more we become silent, the less impulsive we become. Through silence, we can slow down, genuinely listen, and think. We can have a full awareness of the situation and handle it considerately.
Hush...
There are many things to say but the best way to summarize them is to remain silent, methinks. #
25th August 2010
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In mysticism, silence is sacred, so sacred indeed that the mystic, e.g. Jesus had to had a time of retreat (you would notice in the New Testament that Jesus would retreat to the mountain to pray and meditate, from time to time, after his ministry).
TumugonBurahinIn the Epistle of St. James (San Tiago), one might notice that more than half of the chapter (Ch.) 3 was devoted entirely in controlling of the tongue. In fact, he forewarns those who wanted to become teachers inside the Church to learn how to control the tongue:
"We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in other way." (v 2)
Women inside the Church of Corinth had also been warned by the Bishop to the Gentiles, St. Paul in speaking while the congregation is in meeting.
"Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says." (1 Cor. 14:34). However, this must not be mistaken as subduing the right of women to speak (as there are some servant-women in the Church before, who helps Paul and other apostles in their ministry), but to learn how to be silent. Since being talkative breeds arrogance, it is better for women (and even men) to be silent most of the time and contemplate.
Another interesting thing is what St. Paul had told the faithful in the Church of Ephesus:
"Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving..." (Eph. 5:4, NIV).
I love this essay. It's too Rhea Bato... :)
Top stuff. This is a great blog.
TumugonBurahin