“There is another kind of silence to be cultivated, besides that of the tongue as regards others. I mean silence as regards one’s self, - restraining the imagination, not permitting it to dwell overmuch on what we have heard or said, not indulging in the phantasmagoria of picture thoughts, whether of the past or future. Be sure that you have made no small progress in the spiritual life, when you can control your imagination, so as to fix it on the duty and occupation actually existing, to the exclusion of the crowd of thoughts which are perpetually sweeping across the mind. No doubt you cannot prevent those thoughts from arising, but you can prevent yourself from dwelling on them; you can put them aside, you can check the self complacency, or irritation, or earthly longings which feed them, and, by the practice of such control of your thoughts, you will attain that spirit of inward silence which draws the soul into a closer intercourse with God.”
JEAN N. GROU
“There are three kinds of silence. Silence from words is good, because inordinate speaking tends to evil. Silence, or rest from desires and passions, is still better, because it promotes quietness of spirit. But the best of all is silence from unnecessary and wandering thoughts, because that is essential to internal recollection, and because it lays a foundation for a proper regulation and silence in other respects.”
Madame GUYON
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