There is an ancient proverb that says "wisdom" has built her house." Similiarly, we are told "Wisdom is the principal thing." The heart of wisdom is discernment and it is during silence that discernment is the greatest. 

Silence is near if not at the top of the list of virtues that empowers people to live meaningful and fulfilled lives. Silence is great wisdom when  a person has nothing to say and sometimes when he thinks he has something to say. Silence
is more than the absence of thinking and verbalizing or stillness and calmness. Silence is surrender of the conscious to the unconscious.                                                                                A requirement for silence is aloneness that can  occur even when a person is in the presence of other people. Finding a quiet place  and closing one's eyes provide the best opportuniy for a person to be silent. While during silence voices cease externally internally the third ear hears messages of hope and peace that surpasses understanding. In addition to the peace dividend silence produces health benefits.

Beware of the amonishment "Silence is golden" that you probably first heard when you were a child. It has nothing to do with real silence. The practice of silence requires awareness and discipline. We can learn how to be silent and practice silence.

May the wisdom of silence build your house or is it your temple?

Copyright 2008 by Uriah J. Fields