1. Have you ever experienced contemplative silence in the context of worship? How did it affect you?
2. What do you think about the culture of sound in which we live?
3. Do you fear silence? Avoid it? Welcome it? Long for it? Resist it? Why?
4. What do you think is the role of silence in the spiritual life?
13 comments:
1. Have you ever experienced contemplative silence in the context of worship? How did it affect you?
Yes, I attended a Sunday evening Taize service in Savannah Christ Episcopal - ('The Taizé service involves the singing of simple, meditative repetitive songs interspersed with scripture readings, spoken prayers, and a time of silence creating a peaceful and warm worship experience.') It was very moving and beautiful.
2. What do you think about the culture of sound in which we live?
Too much! I try to avoid noisy places.
3. Do you fear silence? Avoid it? Welcome it? Long for it? Resist it? Why?
I welcome and long for silence, and spend lots of time alone in silence.
4. What do you think is the role of silence in the spiritual life?
The silent, contemplative life is much more appealing to an introvert like me, than to an extrovert. Being still and quiet, listening, reading, and responding is good for my heart and soul.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/18/how-does-prayer-meditation-affect-brain-activity_n_1974621.html?1350588342&ncid=webmail17
Through the Wormhole. Meditation and brain activity
Thank you, Zorro, for explaining what a Taize service is. In reading over a listing of events planned at a Congregational Church, one of the events was scheduled for after the Taize service and I had wondered what it was.
1. Have you ever experienced contemplative silence in the context of worship? How did it affect you?
No, I haven't had this experience.
2. What do you think about the culture of sound in which we live?
We seem to be bombarded with sound to the extent that it is sometimes difficult to even hear one's self think.
3. Do you fear silence? Avoid it? Welcome it? Long for it? Resist it? Why?
Although I appreciate silence (I like getting up early in the morning as I enjoy the calmness of the new day with few interruptions), I have reduced my quiet times by becoming a regular podcast and audio book listener.
4. What do you think is the role of silence in the spiritual life?
Silence in the spiritual life helps one be more receptive to hearing God.
I found the referenced pamphlet "A Guide to Listening and Hearing God" from Calvin Presbyterian Church at http://www.calvinchurchzelie.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Guide-to-Hearing-God-v.2.pdf
I haven't had any luck yet printing or saving it, but wanted to share the addie while I had it.
Shirley, I can't make it print, either, which is really weird. I'll come back later to read the two-page PDF of "A Guide to Listening and Hearing God," which looks very good. Here's an actual link for everybuddy, so you can just click on it:
http://www.calvinchurchzelie.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Guide-to-Hearing-God-v.2.pdf
Okay, folks, I tried a different "print" command. I got it to print by placing the cursor over the page and right-clicking to bring up a "PRINT" option which worked when I clicked it. I now have the two pages, which are front and back of a tri-fold brochure showing a formal photo of Chartres Cathedral.
I finally got it to print as well. That was nifty to see the labyrinth on the cover and to read the thoughtful suggestions on listening to God.
1. I haven't experienced contemplative silence in worship to any great extent. At Hamilton Christian Church, we had thirty-minute slots of time several times a year where we committed to silent prayer. It renewed my spirit and always returned me to shalom, for a period of time at least.
2. We are certainly bombarded with noise -- traffic, voices at the tables at restaurants, ringing telephones, tv and radio and MP3 players blaring at us -- attempting to distract us from the pain of life. Each of us seems to live in fear of the self that might be revealed in silence. We lack trust in God to give us grace.
3. I say this with all sincerity -- it depends on the day. If I have had a particularly rough day, I seek it and long for it. If I am particularly lonely, I resist it, and avoid it, as when I feel cut off from the world. I welcome it when I am trying to clear my mind to clarify my viewpoints on serious issues/ Always I long for it because I do hear God's voice in that prolonged silent space. Maybe I fear it because I fear not hearing God's voice in the silence.
4. I think silence is where the presence of God is felt most. What comes to mind is that the greatest gift you can give a grieving person is a silent hug, a touch on the shoulder or back, or to hold a hand. That is felt more than any words.
1. Have you ever experienced contemplative silence in the context of worship?
Yes, since a young girl I have relied on my relationship with God. This relationship began in First Church of Christ Science, with those teachings I learned that I had a direct ability to communicate, hear and feel the response of our true Father, Mother, God. In last 40 years I have continued learning and practicing contemplative silence/ meditation, and also have studied Buddhism. I subsequently learned the skill of meditation, which was exactly what I was doing as a kid, only never as deeply as what I achieved with practiced meditation.
2. What do you think about the culture of sound in which we live?
I know for my own personal balance,it is best if I make time to be quiet so I can not think, and it is in that space that I feel at one with spirit.
3. Do you fear silence? Avoid it? Welcome it? Long for it? Resist it? Why?
I need it and enjoy it.
4. What do you think is the role of silence in the spiritual life?
Without silence I can not hear what is real.
1. Have you ever experienced contemplative silence in the context of worship? How did it affect you?
I have not experienced contemplative silence in the context of a formal worship service, although I have used moments of quiet as opportunities for personal spiritual growth. I've found such moments most frequently when I'm near the ocean or when I'm inside an LDS temple (usually when I'm waiting for a formal service to begin).
2. What do you think about the culture of sound in which we live?
Many people are afraid of silence, I think. Sometimes we want background noise or soundtracks to our lives. But the noisiness of our world can easily drown out the quiet whispers of the Spirit.
3. Do you fear silence? Avoid it? Welcome it? Long for it? Resist it? Why?
I try to have some "quiet time" on a regular basis. Like Zorro mentioned, silence is probably more appealing (even necessary) for an introvert like me than for an extrovert. I re-charge through time spent alone and inside my own head. I also like what createjoy said: "Without silence, I cannot hear what is real."
4. What do you think is the role of silence in the spiritual life?
"Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).
Oooooh, Alison, perfect scripture reference! "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).
1. Have you ever experienced contemplative silence in the context of worship? How did it affect you?
No. When I deliberately left a period of silence in a prayer – even "warning" the people I was doing it – I always got grumpy comments about the long, uncomfortable silence. Usually it was less than thirty seconds. Half a minute! But it was "too much" for some people. Too uncomfortable for them.
Ha! I wrote this answer before I had finished reading the chapter and found this confirmation of what I just said, recalled by a member of Calvin Church:
"As slowly as you can, Graham has tried to mentor us by bringing more silence, more resting in God's presence. Gently, because so many people are uncomfortable with silence" (p. 124).
I thought thirty seconds was non-threatening and gentle. On the other hand, twenty-five years ago, it was probably enough that they had "accepted" a woman being appointed to serve as their pastor. They were trying to change and grow.
2. What do you think about the culture of sound in which we live?
One of the most difficult periods of my life was when I couldn't get away from constant noise. I think it literally drove me crazy. When there is music in the background, I can continue to read or think about other things, even if the music includes words. But constant spoken and/or shouted words distract me enough that I can't focus. The way our living space was designed, I couldn't close off the sound of a television in the other room, which was usually tuned to talk shows or (worse) soap operas where the characters were constantly screaming at each other. You'd think nights would be quieter, at least, but I was sharing a bedroom and my roommate played talk radio all night. I couldn't get away from voices and constant noise, day or night. No matter how cold it was, I would often go out to my car just to sit in the silence.
3. Do you fear silence? Avoid it? Welcome it? Long for it? Resist it? Why?
I need it. (See above.)
4. What do you think is the role of silence in the spiritual life?
The section about Gary Jones says it best for me:
"From the earliest Christian thinkers onward, tradition has insisted that faith, rightly understood, is a quest to know oneself in God. To run from the self is to run from God. People need silence to find their way back to interior wisdom. They need a recovery of the contemplative arts of 'thinking, meditating, ruminating'." (p. 121).
NOTES from other parts of this chapter: I like the invitation to the Lord's Supper that ends "meet him here" (p. 117), which is followed by this:
"It is an altar call, but not like those in other southern churches. Here, the invitation is to dine with God – not to submit to God's gaze of condemning judgment. At this altar, salvation comes through love, not fear" (p. 117).
This is profound:
"The fourteenth-century Christian mystic Meister Eckhart said, 'Nothing in all creation is so like God as silence.' To rediscover silence, as these churches are doing, is to rediscover God" (p. 120).
Reading this made me remember Psalm 46:10: "Be still and know that I am God!"
The word within the white spaces (pp. 125-126):
At Sunday services, silence does not focus on the holy meal as at Holy Communion. Rather, it centers on things having to do with speech: on prayer, singing, the reading of the Word, and preaching. Silence serves as spiritual white space between the words, allowing each person to hear the word within. Kate, a member and the daughter of a pastor, remarks, "The worship service is a hybrid of thie 'island' of reverence, quietness, and reflection combined with a dose of what you do with your life now and God is doing." Calvin opens its services with a "centering chant," followed by a "prayer of humility" that orients the congregation toward a time of silent confession. The music is mostly contemporary, but not in the typical "happy-clappy" style of much contemporary Christian music. Instead, there are meditative Taize chants and songs like // "The Centering Song" and the old Shaker song "Simple Gifts." Graham and his music director, Bruce Smith, write music, too. Their "Rest in the Bow with Me" provides an unexpected image of contemplative prayer.
Storms and high seas crash over me,
Threatening to drown my soul.
Seeking the voice of Christ, I hear:
"Rest in the bow with Me."
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