Most spiritual traditions have developed practices to still the mind and foster silence within, often considered a fundamental step along the spiritual journey. These practices are commonly associated with Eastern traditions, but the search for inner silence is also an important aspect of the Christian contemplative mysticism known as the apophatic or negative way, according to which silence of the mind is a fundamental condition to make room for the coming of God within. The objective of this article is to review some of the most representative pathways of the apophatic tradition of the past: Evagrius Ponticus and the subsequent development of Hesychast monasticism in the Orthodox Church from the 4th century onward; Meister Eckhart and The Cloud of Unknowing in the 14th century; and the popular movements of Recollection (which greatly influenced St. Teresa of Avila) and Quietism in the 16th and 17th century. Sadly, as a consequence of the condemnation of Quietism for heresy, contemplation, as it was understood and practiced for centuries, became marginalized in favor of a spirituality hinged on vocal prayer and discursive meditation. Nevertheless, the whole potential of contemplative prayer deserves to be rediscovered and reacknowledged as a fundamental practice of spiritual growth.
Silence of the Mind: The Quest for Inner Stillness in the Christian Tradition
Daniele GUNETTI
2024-01-01
Abstract
Most spiritual traditions have developed practices to still the mind and foster silence within, often considered a fundamental step along the spiritual journey. These practices are commonly associated with Eastern traditions, but the search for inner silence is also an important aspect of the Christian contemplative mysticism known as the apophatic or negative way, according to which silence of the mind is a fundamental condition to make room for the coming of God within. The objective of this article is to review some of the most representative pathways of the apophatic tradition of the past: Evagrius Ponticus and the subsequent development of Hesychast monasticism in the Orthodox Church from the 4th century onward; Meister Eckhart and The Cloud of Unknowing in the 14th century; and the popular movements of Recollection (which greatly influenced St. Teresa of Avila) and Quietism in the 16th and 17th century. Sadly, as a consequence of the condemnation of Quietism for heresy, contemplation, as it was understood and practiced for centuries, became marginalized in favor of a spirituality hinged on vocal prayer and discursive meditation. Nevertheless, the whole potential of contemplative prayer deserves to be rediscovered and reacknowledged as a fundamental practice of spiritual growth.
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