Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O.was an American Catholic writer and mystic. A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, he was a poet, social activist, and student of comparative religion. In 1949, he was ordained to the priesthood and given the name Father Louis...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth31 January 1915
CityPrades, France
CountryUnited States of America
reality men silence
Words stand between silence and silence: between the silence of things and the silence of our own being. Between the silence of the world and the silence of God. When we have really met and known the world in silence, words do not separate us from the world nor from other men, nor from God, nor from ourselves because we no longer trust entirely in language to contain reality.
wisdom silence would-be
Music is pleasing not only because of the sound but because of the silence that is in it: without the alternation of sound and silence there would be no rhythm.
humility humble men
A humble man is not afraid of failure. In fact, he is not afraid of anything, even himself, since perfect humility implies perfect confidence in the power of God.
solitude secret desire
I have only one desire, and that is the desire for solitude-to disappear into God, to be submerged in His peace, to be lost in the secret of His Face.
eye vision might
It might be good to open our eyes and see.
prayer silence unity
To be alone by being part of the universe-fitting in completely to an environment of woods and silence and peace. Everything you do becomes a unity and a prayer. Unity within and without.
soul solitude intimacy
There is not true intimacy between souls who do not know how to respect one another's solitude.
humility errors sincerity
Sincerity must be bought at a price: the humility to recognize our innumerable errors, and fidelity in tirelessly setting them right.
dream believe reality
The man who lives in division is living in death. He cannot find himself because he is lost; he has ceased to be a reality. The person he believes himself to be is a bad dream.
believe journey men
And that is why the man who wants to see clearly, before he will believe, never starts on the journey.
art artist soul
Music and art and poetry attune the soul to God.
glasses color consciousness
If Zen has any preference it is for glass that is plain, has no color, and is "just glass."
silence doe bless
If we have not silence, God is not heard in our music. If we have no rest God, does not bless our work.
humble glasses light
The humble person receives praise the way a clean window takes the light of the sun. The truer and more intense the light is, the less you see of the glass.