Exterior silence is augmented by limiting speech and turning down volume controls. It also can lead to interior silence. Most self-oriented thoughts and behaviors erode inner quiet. Interior silence begins when schemes, concerns and agendas of the ego or other self oriented mannerisms are laid aside. They decrease as a God-centered love grows within us.
Interior silence disciplines the mind, imagination and memory.
It promotes spiritual growth through greater sensitivity and perception to the actions of grace. We become more aware of our own vulnerabilities, weaknesses and struggles. Hidden ambitions, unnecessary anxieties and inner conflicts prevent us from being honest with ourselves, others and God. Unnoticed or hidden by a multitude of external or internal words, our inner milieu can often be confusing or unstable. As the words clear, we realize that we are capable of committing the vilest of sins.