Silouan of Shropshire

Priest-Monk Silouan of Shropshire is an Orthodox Christian monk. He currently resides at the Orthodox Christian Monastery of St Anthony and St Cuthbert, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, United Kingdom.

Priest-Monk Silouan (2011). Wisdom Songs: A Book of Wisdom Chapters in Five Centuries. New York: Sophia Institute. ISBN 978-0-9835867-1-5.

• Stillness is neither thought nor the cessation of thought. Stillness stands steadfast as wisdom when the heart is luminous and clear. Uncontrived and unfabricated, wisdom is overlooked by blind oblivion.

  Stillness is not one state opposed to another. It is not an external phenomenon. It is incomprehensible and ineffable because at root, it is uncreated and unconditioned. It unifies, so as to ground what is integral. It illumines, so as to clarify what is translucent. It glorifies, to liberate the glorified. It deifies, to transfigure the deified.

  • No. 40, in "A Century on the Wisdom of Stillness"

• Stillness does not come and go. It is we who come and go. Stillness abides, like a vast evenness, limpid and pure. It is a transcendent realm of infinite clarity.
  • No. 60, in "A Century on the Wisdom of Stillness"

• Stillness is neither dissipation nor dislocation. She is neither exclusion nor suppression. She is neither addiction to confusion nor fixation on separation.

  Stillness is ineffable freedom. Everything is ineffably free in true stillness. She is inexhaustible. She is endless. ‘After fire, a still small voice.’

  • No. 66, in "A Century on the Wisdom of Stillness"

• So, true stillness is of God, from God, and wholly in God. With this we begin to enter into our rest. We begin to rest in peace. We begin to taste the bright mysteries of holy dying, that overcome death through death.

  Stillness is resurrection. It overcomes death by death. It reveals glory to wisdom. It unveils vision and wonder. Such wonder binds confused, divided thoughts. It is serene.

  • No. 79, in "A Century on the Wisdom of Stillness"

Priest-Monk Silouan (2011). Wisdom and Wonder: A Book of Wisdom Chapters in Two Centuries. New York: Sophia Institute. ISBN 978-0-9835867-2-2.

• Genuine wisdom astounds. It astonishes. It amazes. It transmutes pious opinion into silent reverence. It penetrates dogmas to unveil their core. It reveals. It illumines. It deifies. The two-edged sword was never totally lost, like lost gospels in caves and sand. But when the ancient neglected texts are found again, wisdom knows her own.
  • No. 29, in "A Century on the Wisdom of Wonder"

Priest-Monk Silouan (2013). Wisdom, Prophecy and Prayer: A Book of Wisdom Chapters in Three Centuries. New York: Sophia Institute. ISBN 978-0-9835867-2-2.

• In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says that whoever drinks his wisdom, shall become like him. God’s ‘I AM’ is recognized as ‘I AM’ from ‘I AM.’ The Name of God is all consuming fire. Yet the bush is not consumed.
  • No. 14, in "Century One"

• In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says we all come from the light, destined to be children of light, chosen of the living Father. Our origin is light, and our end is light, and when we reside in primordial light, we awaken to the light of the glory of the age to come.
  • No. 57, in "Century One"

Priest-Monk Silouan (2014). Wisdom, Glory and the Name: A Book of Wisdom Chapters in Two Centuries. New York: Sophia Institute. ISBN 978-0-9835867-4-6.

• In the Odes of Solomon, Christ says, “I opened the gates that were shut; and I broke in pieces the bars of iron. My fetters grew hot and melted before me, and nothing seemed to me to be shut, because I was the opening of everything.” He also says his prayer was his love, releasing the prisoner’s bonds. Such prayer, inspired by the Spirit, inspires intercession in the desert in the spirit of liberating openness. Ineffable openness is eternally open to love’s openness to love, eternally overcoming separation at the heart of separation. Eternal oneness is eternally one with love’s overcoming of separation at the heart of separation. Uncreated presence is eternally present at the heart of separation, overcoming separation. So when love assumes separation to overcome separation, separation dissolves. When oneness assumes confusion to cure confusion, confusion is released. When presence assumes absence to undo absence, absence transmutes into ever present completeness.
  • No. 75, in "Second Century"

Priest-Monk Silouan (2015). Merlin on Manstone Mynd. Stiperstones Press. ISBN 978-0-9933589-0-6.

• I am ‘I AM,’ thy God.

‘I AM WHO I AM,’

whispering in every heart,

stillness singing, burning, boundless love.

I am ‘I AM,’ calling thee by Name.

I am ‘I AM,’ thy heart my throne,

light sanctuary within, angels' chant.

Why, O why dost thou turn away?

Who will hear my song?

• p. 11

• Hesychasm
• Evagrius Ponticus
• Sayings of the Desert Fathers
• Thomas Merton
• Panentheism

• Wisdom Hermitage
• orthodoxmonastery.co.uk