Let him sit alone, the Scripture says; and indeed, unless he sits and rests, he will not be alone. - Guigo II

He who is not alone cannot be silent. And he who is not silent cannot hear you when you speak to him.

Let all my world be silent in your presence, Lord, so that I may hear what the Lord God may say in my heart. Your words are so softly spoken that no one can hear them except in deep silence.

What is the use of spending one's time in continuous reading, turning the pages of the lives and sayings of holy men, unless we can extract nourishment from them by chewing and digesting this food so that its strength can pass into our inmost heart?