Solitude and Silence: Benedict on Great Silence

The Rule of St. Benedict designates the hours between Compline (the last prayer of the day, around 8 PM) and Lauds (morning prayer, around 6 AM) as the "Great Silence." During this time, monks refrain from all unnecessary speech. Benedict wrote: "At all times, monks should practice silence, but especially during the hours of the night."

The Great Silence serves multiple purposes: it protects sleep, it creates a contemplative atmosphere, and it provides an extended daily experience of wordlessness that gradually reshapes the monk's relationship with language. After years of nightly silence, speech itself becomes more measured, more intentional, more prayerful.

Practical application: Institute your own "Great Silence" from 9 PM to 7 AM. No screens, no phone calls, no unnecessary speech. Use the time for reading, quiet conversation with family, journaling, and prayer before sleep. Benedict teaches that the rhythm of silence and speech, like the rhythm of night and day, is built into creation and necessary for human flourishing.