Then, in the fullness of time, God's Word, through whom all had been created, became flesh and gave power to all who believe to become the children of God. In all this, the Word of God does not break the silence of God, but rather unfolds the immeasurable richness of that silence. So must it be with us. The novice monk learns to cultivate interior silence by way of baby steps. First, he is taught to value external silence.
Television is forbidden and radio is limited.
He is reminded not to speak in the hallways of the monastery unless necessary and to close doors softly. Gradually he learns to appreciate the solace of his monastic cell. Little by little, he learns to use certain techniques to enter into a space of interior silence. For me, the Jesus Prayer of which I wrote at the beginning of Lent became the best technique for gently turning down the volume of my senses. My rocking chair is one of these, my monastic cell, and more recently, the little meditation garden that I have created.