Category: Silence

Silence at SSJE

7/29/2024

It was silent and it was a retreat from my daily life. Three nights following the Daily Office with the brothers at the Society of Sain John the Evangelist, an Episcopal brotherhood in Cambridge, MA.
Here's what I learned, not from being told, but by observing the monks as the offered hospital to me and ten other guests.
LISTEN
Listen to others, talk less, don't give an opinion unless specifically asked for one. Hear God speaking through others, to you, to them, to God's kingdom

I must keep silent~

11/2/2018

When God’s calls me to pray for people, I must keep silent. Intercessory prayer and gossip are not just incompatible, they can’t exist simultaneously.
Yes, I must keep silent so I won’t gossip or betray a confidence, but it is much more that that; talk, be it out loud to others, or silent to myself, gets in the way of prayer. When I pray for healing and peace for someone (which I believe God wants for everyone), I don’t know what that should look like for them; thus conversation and delving into details only hampers my prayer channel to God.
In other words, I need to keep completely away from all kinds of judgments about what ‘should’ happen, and pray Thy will be done.

Be still and know that I am God~

6/22/2015

Here’s what I posted on my cottage-by-the-sea blog. I want to add that although there is always something more to say about prayer, there is also nothing more to say about prayer. As the psalmist tells us, Be still, and know that I am God.

"I’m home from one of the most satisfying pilgrimages I have ever made to Scotland and Iona. Maybe the reason has to do with the internet access that was undependable, and when available, very weak. Posting a single picture was slow; posting a slideshow, usually impossible. Then to top it off, I left my computer plug at the hotel, forcing me for the last two days of the trip to conserve my phone battery—no picture taking—and computer battery—no writing.

"After my initial frustration, when I accepted how it was, I found I was relieved to be excused from my self-imposed obligation to post every day. I noticed that I stopped thinking about what to write, and in doing so, my thinking shifted and even stopped. I was in the moment, with nothing to say, which is still how I’m feeling now that I’m home.

"I wonder how this will play out in the next few weeks? Will my commitment to keep the blog going continue? Will I have anything to say? Life at home for the next three weeks will be anything but solitary, silent or simple, but when activity abates, what will I have to add to what I’ve written in the past five years? Can I truly be alone in simple silence? Tune in and see. "

Carrying silence, solitude and simplicity with me wherever I go~

5/6/2015

Finally, I’m back to posting. I took a break while finishing Very Grateful, which is now off to the copy editor and then on to production. I was surprised at the relief I felt the moment I wrote my response to my editor’s final suggestion. It had to do with ending my cottage-by-the-sea days. This past winter would have been my sixth season, but the owner became ill and wasn’t able to go to Florida, so I stayed home.

In that final writing i discovered that I don’t need the cottage any more, that I can carry silence, solitude and simplicity with me wherever I go.

This realization wasn’t an answer to a particular prayer, but I believe it was a response to the prayerful work I have been doing to keep God in the forefront of my life. Oh, I fail miserable, but every morning I pray for God’s presence to be with me throughout the day, and so even though I’m not conscious of it all the time, I believe it is there. The more intentional I am about it, the more certain it will be.

It is a comfort to believe and come to know that our intention and effort at prayer continues to work in us whether we are aware of it or not.

What do you want of me today, God?

1/3/2015

      During my morning prayer time I’ve been asking God what plans God has for me for the day: “What do you want of me today?” I ask.

    Lately I’ve heard some version of the following: write the book about you and your mother; spend time praying for people; whenever you find yourself thinking or saying negative thoughts, let them go.

     There are others, but these seem to be the one’s God wants me to work on right now. It is pretty clear that God is not suggesting that I become involved in any kind of he-said-she-said. Rather, it seems that I’m supposed to be rather quiet.

    I suggest you try this little prayer and see what God sends you.

More lessons from Christmas~

12/26/2014

and Women.

More lessons from Christmas this year: too much chatter, not enough silent spaces. The nativity stories in Luke and Matthew seem to suggest that a balance surrounded Jesus’ birth. The Gospel message is one of both—conversation and activity, and silence and simplicity. Throughout his life Jesus called for both-- feed the poor and pray. He never suggests that more conversation the better but again and again he tells us to go off by ourselves and pray. In John’s Gospel he rebukes Martha for her excessive activity, while acknowledging that Mary has chosen the better part.

My Christmas had activity and silence, and for that I am very grateful; but sometimes I felt there was too much chatter. I understand that life out there in the world has to be active and conversational. Leaders must speak up and take action. Not everyone can retreat to Mt. Athos and lead a life of prayer. Feeding the poor takes planning, conversation and action. However, I wonder if we need the amount of chatter, gossip, critique, judgments that we all engage in in our personal lives? I wonder if we are adding to the negative energy out there in the world? What if everyone remained silent, for say a half hour? My Christmas lesson is to practice more of that.

Prayer time on center stage~

6/23/2014

Presently I’m at the Minneapolis airport after a family reunion with my siblings to celebrate my niece’s marriage. It was a busy, social time, and I’m very grateful for every minute. But as I sit here by myself for the first time in three days, I’m aware that my prayer time took a back seat. I don’t want to feel guilty about putting God in the background. After all, not everything can be in the foreground at the same time, and prayer needs silence and solitude in order to be on center stage.

Now that I’m home, center stage it is, on this lovely evening.

June 14th, 2014

6/14/2014

I tried Laurence Freeman’s suggestion on my walk today (see yesterday’s post). A prayer walk with less thinking, more being. I was able to let go of most of my questions to God and pleas to Jesus. In summary, I prayed the Jesus Prayer and enjoyed the scenery. Um, simple and practical.

Convent of San Francesco in Fiesoli

4/27/2014

Yesterday I took Bus #7 to Fiesoli and then climbed the hill to my favorite little convent in all of Italy. I’ve blogged about it before and undoubtedly I’ll blog about it again. In fact, I plan to return there next week before I leave for home.

My favorite is section is the floor housing eight monk’s cells. I spent quite a while there, staring into the little rooms, imagining myself living in one of them. It was a Holy moment. Then, while sitting in the church, it poured rain…and then it stopped. That too was a Holy moment. Finally, peering into the tiny cloisters was also Holy. For certain this visit was the most solitary and silent time I’ve had since arriving here.

Off to the cottage~

11/16/2013

Tomorrow I’ll be settling in again at the cottage. For those of you who are wondering, What cottage? here’s the quick story. This is the fourth winter season that I have rented a cottage right on the ocean. It’s an hour and a half drive from my home, so I can easily go back and forth, and that is just what I do. Usually I’m at the cottage during the week and at home on the weekends.

I love the silence, solitude and simplicity there. I watch the sunrise every morning--even when it’s cloudy. Also, in no particular order, I pray, read, write, enjoy jigsaw puzzles, walk the beach, and gaze at the ocean. I check my email twice a day, morning and evening, and I don’t talk on the phone. Sometimes I cover the clocks and live a timeless day.

It is in this simple, silent life of solitude that I let go of the chatter (read judgments) in my head. Then, I can pray for others, which is why I go to there-- to pray and to be with God.