The helpless tongue

Often when we try to express the very biggest of ideas we realize how finite language really is. The discussion spirals in on itself and eventually words render us helpless. When trying to answer these big questions; What is evil and where does it come from? What is God? What is faith? The list goes on. The conversation inevitably breaks down or we agree that in fact we cannot accurately express these things with words alone.

It is not surprising that for thousands of years monastics of all faith traditions have fled to the endless silence of the dessert, the cave, the cloister to ponder these massive questions. When we have what Japanese Buddhists call "Shinjin" true entrusting or clarity of the heart-mind we begin to experience, rather than think about God. 
It is in silence we come closer to the divine.

The tradition of silent contemplation in Christianity is an ancient one. In Jesus' most well known teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, he instructs us how to pray.

"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him," Matthew 6: 6-8.

 This is particularly interesting today, when evangelic churches all over the world are filled to the rafters with people that could only be described as engaging in delusional histrionics! 

Like Jesus sitting through the trials of the self - or "the evil one" if you are so inclined - we must sit with ourselves quietly and contemplate before acting. This instruction is common also to the Buddha, to Guru Nanak founder of the Sikh faith and to the prophet Muhammad. All retreated to a cave, a forest, a tree or the dessert to sit and contemplate god, suffering, the nature of reality before emerging enlightened and ready to teach. Most importantly, they did not stay immersed in meditation but chose to return to their communities to share what they had learned. Yes, Contemplation can be an end in itself, however, if we really want to make change in this world we must share what we have learned about the divine. Not through loud, obnoxious evangelizing but through compassionate action, nourished by silence. 

Namaste