Enter the silence

Lamentations 3:28 When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence.

What a surprise, in reading Jeremiah’s poetic ode to the suffering of his people in exile in Babylon, to discover this invitation to partake in an ancient practice. There is such balm in sitting in silence. In today’s world of hyper-stimulation, of 24-7 news cycles, the demands of advertising and the media and the continual bombardment by sounds and images, it’s easy to see how taking a break from all that, and sitting in silence, could be soothing, even though many people don’t do it. It’s kind of amazing to me that, even in a time with no electronic equipment or amplification, when people heard only the sounds that actually existed around them, there was this need and call to go sit in the silence. The Gospels often speak of Jesus, going off by himself to be quiet and pray. In the Christian tradition, Anthony, the first monk, went into the desert for solitude and quiet contemplation, and was soon followed by so many that he started a movement which speaks to the perennial need human beings have for getting away from it all.

I began meditating in 1971, just after graduating from college, because I thought I needed a stronger emotional grounding in my life. I began with Transcendental Meditation, which is from the Hindu tradition and involves the use of a mantra. When I returned to church some years later, and began reading about the contemplative tradition in Christianity, I began doing Centering Prayer, which relies on a sacred word to recall the mind from its meanderings into thought. More recently, I have practiced contemplative prayer in the Thomas Merton tradition, which has many similarities to Buddhist mindfulness practice. Each tradition has its own methodologies, but the common thread is letting go of the incessant thinking that dominates our awareness and becoming aware of the unhurried nature of being in the present moment.

Each day, for 20 or 30 minutes twice a day, I sit in silence. This is the commitment that I have been faithful to for over 35 years, my primary spiritual practice out of which all the others flow. It forms the foundation for my spiritual journey, the fertile ground out of which my faith has grown. I close my eyes and sit comfortably. I may use a sacred word, follow my breath or simply do my best to stay present with what is, gently calling my mind back when it inevitably wanders off into thinking. I abandon any responsibility for doing, for accomplishing, for being in charge, and allow myself simply to be here, in the present moment. I surrender all that I am and all that I have, in that moment, into God’s Hands, and there I find my delight in Her Presence, deep rest and full acceptance of what is.

Prayer: Dear God, I thank you for calling me to you through the practice of sacred silence. Meet me there. Amen.