"God does not give Himself to a chattering soul which, like a drone in a beehive, buzzes around but gathers no honey. A talkative soul is empty inside. It lacks both the essential virtues and intimacy with God. A deeper interior life, one of gentle peace and of that silence where the Lord dwells, is [...]
"We should practice complete silence and ignorance in the presence of the superior, for a silent man is a son of wisdom and is always gaining great knowledge." -St. John Climacus
"The Holy Spirit does not speak to a soul that is distracted and garrulous. He speaks by His quiet inspirations to a soul that is recollected, to a soul that knows how to keep silence. If silence were strictly observed, there would not be any grumbling, bitterness, slandering, or gossip, and charity would not be [...]
"You will never be devout of heart unless you are thus silent about the affairs of others and pay particular attention to yourself." Source: Thomas a’ Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, Dover Thrift Editions, 1940.
"The lover of silence draws close to God. He talks to Him in secret and God enlightens him. Jesus, by His silence, shamed Pilate; and a man, by his stillness, conquers vainglory. Peter wept bitterly for what he had said." Source: St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent
"Someone who had asked me once about stillness told me that talkativeness invariably results from one of the following causes: from a bad or relaxed life-style ('the tongue,' he said, 'is a member of the body, like the rest, and therefore needs to be trained in its habits'); or it comes from vainglory, a particular [...]
"Intelligent silence is the mother of prayer, freedom from bondage, custodian of zeal, a guard on our thoughts, a watch on our enemies, a prison of mourning, a friend of tears, a sure recollection of death, a painter of punishment, a concern with judgment, servant of anguish, foe of license, a companion of stillness, the [...]
"In silence and quiet the devout soul advances in virtue and learns the hidden truths of Scripture." Source: Thomas a’ Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, Dover Thrift Editions, 1940.
"God does not give Himself to a chattering soul which, like a drone in a beehive, buzzes around but gathers no honey. A talkative soul is empty inside. It lacks both the essential virtues and intimacy with God. A deeper interior life, one of gentle peace and of that silence where the Lord dwells, is [...]
"We should practice complete silence and ignorance in the presence of the superior, for a silent man is a son of wisdom and is always gaining great knowledge." Source: St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent