In Praise of Silence

The real motivation for undertaking this project, to praise and extol the virtues of silence, has come from my own personal experience of its many benefits. In gathering material I became aware of two main points: the strong current aversion in our society to silence and stillness, and the extensive commentary on the benefits of silence down through the ages from people of all traditions, east and west. I have explored the nature of silence, how it relates to Communications and Decision-making, the importance of connecting with our inner silence using Meditation as a reference point and examining the creative power of silence as expressed in Music. The great value placed on silence by religious orders is described including how four of the world's great spiritual teachers; Buddha, Mohammed, Lao Tzu and Jesus all spent considerable time in silence and solitude before emerging to offer their guidance.