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| Saturday, February 23, 2008 |
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Back From the Silence
By webmaster @ 7:00 PM :: 339 Views ::
0 Comments :: Nina Frost
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I have just returned from a silent retreat at a convent in the hills of Marin county, above San Francisco. It’s an annual tradition for my husband and myself, and we go for the place, a veritable haven of detail, hospitality and peace, and for the leaders, dear friends, and a couple who both model and lead others into the contemplative life—that place of stillness where right action in the world springs from.
Per tradition, before going I was my usual resistant, stress-ball self, worrying that I would not have enough time afterwards to properly prepare for the Marble women’s retreat next weekend. Also as usual, going quieted all those voices down, slowed me down, and paradoxically gave me extra space and time for things to arise for the retreat. Duh. But I always forget, always.
Stillness in community is wonderful… there are some meditations by the leaders, some time in song and word in the chapel, some check-ins with the group in the evening. But the rest of the days are in silence, especially the meals, where we were read to from a book of eulogies edited by Phyllis Theroux that was deeply moving. It is amazing how fond you can become of people when you don’t have to talk to them, especially on the chatter level. The quiet is deeply nourishing.
Each year I come back wondering: what if the way I feel there is the normal state of affairs, the way we all are supposed to feel: this deep quiet, space, patience, openness? And that other way, that busy, even frantic, impatient, multi-tasking way I feel most of the time, given the logistics of my life—what if that were the strange, the not normal? I am aware how romantic and unreal this can sound; indeed, I would disparage that last sentence had I read it a week ago.
Yes, these are the fevered thoughts of one who has been deeply elsewhere, and returned, temporarily altered and re-calibrated. I say temporarily because I know this question about where we are meant to dwell will slip away, lost in the coming tasks. And yet. There is a truth here that especially this year I want to hold as a bulwark against the “normal” that really isn’t.
There is a sign posted throughout the retreat house: It’s titled “Silence”:
During retreat we stitch together
with the needle of
silence and the thread of
stillness
our scattered sense of self and our
fragmentary
experience of God
Blessings on your coming week, and may there be both silence…and stillness. |
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Welcome to MarbleTalks, a weblog published by the ministers and staff of Marble Collegiate Church. If you're unfamiliar with blogs, this short primer will help get you up to speed.
What is a Blog?
MarbleTalks provides a forum for each of our ministers and various staff members to share their thoughts, questions, and experiences with our faith community. Contributors to the blog will use a wide variety of sources for inspiration, and may share those sources when possible. Blogs are built around the active participation of their readers, and will commonly encourage you to take action in your life and the world around you.
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Dr. Caliandro |
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Sister Carol Perry |
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Rev. Lewicki |
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Dr. Lutz |
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Rev. Jordan |
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Dr. Ruge |
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Rev. Pierce |
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Nina Frost |
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