The Need for Silence

If Benedict were alive today, he would be concerned with our eyes and ears. He would wonder why so many of us wander around staring at our screens and why we must fill our ears with nonstop music and information. He could rightly say that we seem afraid of looking and listening.

When I teach chapter six of Benedict’s Rule — on restraining speech — work accordingly. I ask the students to unplug from anything electronic and to accompany me on a silent walk. We go for about a quarter mile. Usually, it’s chilly. We find a quiet place on campus by the statues of Benedict and his sister, Scholastica. There, we discuss what just happened. Did they look up at the sky? Did they hear the birds? Did they notice the buds on the trees? Did they smell the threat of rain? The freshly-spread manure? Did they feel the air? Most of them say they didn’t notice any of these things. They say they were “in their heads,” thinking about to-do lists.

We discuss the value of noticing what the world is like, and of allowing ourselves the freedom to be silent. When we return to the classroom they are still in silence, but they have opened their eyes and hearts to what is happening around them. They notice the sky, the birds, the trees, and the air. And they don’t think about all the stuff that fills their day. As for me, for more than twenty years now, I have had chronic tinnitus. I don’t remember what silence sounds like. My head is filled with a piercing clanging, like the fire alarms in my grade school, only really high pitched. I experience a little envy on these walks, watching them open their eyes on the return trip to the classroom. I see them appreciate being unplugged even for just a few minutes.

When we return, I ask them to write about the experience. Without fail, the students report anxiety about being told to unplug. They say they were worrying about all the things they usually worry about when they started out. Then they tell me how relaxing and enjoyable the experience was on their return trip. And over ninety percent of them tell me they will be unplugging and going for a walk at least once a week for the rest of the semester. I don’t know if they follow through on this. But I know they identify one of the problems they create for themselves when their eyes and ears are always filled with digital content.

We constantly fill our heads and hearts with noise. Benedict would encourage us to unplug. He tells us in chapter six to allow the world to fill our senses with the wonder of God and creation. He would tell us to restrain from speaking occasionally and just listen to what God presents us with this day.

Shh!