Chris you really capture the essence of Quaker meeting. I sometimes feel the same way when I'm out on sailboat, moving along. I just think and take things in.
In the past I sometimes went to my local Sunday gathering. On occasion, there were true moments of grace and wisdom shared.
Then there was the "popcorn" meeting where participants seemed to riff off what other people said. Those were ultimately less satisfying to me.
I wish certain elected officials would go to a meeting and just listen.
Thanks Bruce. Yes, I've experienced a "popcorn" meeting. I thought that was just something that happened in high school meetings though - kids being who they are. It has been some four decades since I attended any meeting at all. Sometimes I think I should find one near me but, as you say, a quiet morning on the boat does have the same effect.
Thank you. Lovely and wise. I am currently leading a small group of women who are engaged in a 10 week Ignatian Spiritual Exercise course. The purpose of the group is to meet once a week to LISTEN mindfully as one person shares from prayer experience of the previous week. I have realized that this very silent (other than just one voice and no vocal interaction) is a very unusual way for people to be together and sometimes it takes real discipline for the others in the group to NOT interact over what someone else is saying. But during the times when silence is held, it is quite lovely.
Thanks Aunt Jeanne. Coming from someone who made a life of music it is interesting to hear your take on silence. Although, come to think of it, it is the silence that makes the music, isn't it? The shadow to the light. You cannot have one without the other.
Indeed - it IS the silence that makes the music - and perhaps that is one reason why I don't particularly like background music. However, since I continue to make a life of music, lets put that in present tense, ok? :-)
Yes, I agree, and would like to share a couple of experiences. One, from teaching: I found it easy, early on, to disagree with a student if what was said didn't conform to my understanding of the subject. Then one day I found myself thinking about something a student had said and realized that it was, though different from my own understanding, valid. So I tried harder to just listen to what students said.
Another, from my own spiritual practice, is similar to Quaker listening to the spirit. In prayer it's very easy to talk AT God in a way that prevents me from hearing God. If I shut up and focus on silence, listening, I'm more likely to hear what God is saying. (Which often is just "Shut up and listen.")
Thanks - yes, I spent some time on graphic design for the SWJ site over the weekend. It does nothing at all for the writing, I suppose, but a little gloss can't hurt.
Chris you really capture the essence of Quaker meeting. I sometimes feel the same way when I'm out on sailboat, moving along. I just think and take things in.
In the past I sometimes went to my local Sunday gathering. On occasion, there were true moments of grace and wisdom shared.
Then there was the "popcorn" meeting where participants seemed to riff off what other people said. Those were ultimately less satisfying to me.
I wish certain elected officials would go to a meeting and just listen.
Thanks Bruce. Yes, I've experienced a "popcorn" meeting. I thought that was just something that happened in high school meetings though - kids being who they are. It has been some four decades since I attended any meeting at all. Sometimes I think I should find one near me but, as you say, a quiet morning on the boat does have the same effect.
Thank you. Lovely and wise. I am currently leading a small group of women who are engaged in a 10 week Ignatian Spiritual Exercise course. The purpose of the group is to meet once a week to LISTEN mindfully as one person shares from prayer experience of the previous week. I have realized that this very silent (other than just one voice and no vocal interaction) is a very unusual way for people to be together and sometimes it takes real discipline for the others in the group to NOT interact over what someone else is saying. But during the times when silence is held, it is quite lovely.
Thanks Aunt Jeanne. Coming from someone who made a life of music it is interesting to hear your take on silence. Although, come to think of it, it is the silence that makes the music, isn't it? The shadow to the light. You cannot have one without the other.
Indeed - it IS the silence that makes the music - and perhaps that is one reason why I don't particularly like background music. However, since I continue to make a life of music, lets put that in present tense, ok? :-)
Yes, I agree, and would like to share a couple of experiences. One, from teaching: I found it easy, early on, to disagree with a student if what was said didn't conform to my understanding of the subject. Then one day I found myself thinking about something a student had said and realized that it was, though different from my own understanding, valid. So I tried harder to just listen to what students said.
Another, from my own spiritual practice, is similar to Quaker listening to the spirit. In prayer it's very easy to talk AT God in a way that prevents me from hearing God. If I shut up and focus on silence, listening, I'm more likely to hear what God is saying. (Which often is just "Shut up and listen.")
Nice title graphic, BTW. Is that new?
Thanks - yes, I spent some time on graphic design for the SWJ site over the weekend. It does nothing at all for the writing, I suppose, but a little gloss can't hurt.