silence and worship

My dear friend Joan Broadfield wrote
"About 'silence': It's all about what the invitation calls us to.
If the invitation is for silence, it would not speak to me.

If you are talking about longer than an hour to sit in a listening/waiting way, I'm very interested.

If you are talking about dedicating a worship time of an hour to come to listen in quiet expectation, I'd be interested.

But for me, when the emphasis is on SILENCE, it means nothing to me about spirituality. It is dictating a form, which gets in the way of expectation and listening to God.

I've had my fill of the rhapsodies of silence. That's not to say that a depth of a covered meeting is not important to me: in fact, it is. But I have never had a god-connected experience in one that is emphasizing silence. Paradox: those meetings that are 'covered' are mostly without words."

yes. There are two experiences here. One is weekly worship and I have always maintained that it is in the silence that we worship, not silence itself. I have not experienced an benefit from being silenced.
Many monthly meetings are learning the value of longer worship time. Media has extended worship once a month. All are welcome to this time of open worship that may or may not have a lot of silence.
Individual meetings can discern for themselves the frequency and length of worship.
I'm an advocate of communities and i see Monthy Meetings as communities being visible to themselves.

In addition some are called to live in a state of worship, prayer, communion with God that asks for more than a monthly meeting can provide. When this life called to me, I could not find anywhere, within, or even close to my faith community where I could go for an extended period of life , mostly in silence, within an supportive , nurturing and guided community ;where I was welcomed to just be, in worship and meditation to spend as much time as I needed with my inner and outer Light.

I’m still looking and this is what this blog is about.
I’m willing to create Still Waters Refuge and share it’s gifts with all seekers and I cannot do it alone.
Please join me. In Spirit, prayer, and comment.

Are Quakers really interested in silence?

I thought I would go for the shock value here.
This from the newsletter of The School Of the Spirit-I am a graduate of the, On being a spiritual nurturer program-

Over the years the contemplative retreat has tended to incorporate more silence than indicated in the letter which was sent to Friends in advance. This posed a challenge for some attending for the first time, particularly those who had planned to meet as a small group within the context of the full retreat group. This matter was discussed on the first evening and accommodations were made so that the needs of all might best be met.

In deepest humility and respect, silence cannot be experienced by talking about it.
I attended Friends worship and workshops and retreats for 30 years and it was not until my second week living, working and being in silent community that I came to know silence and it's gifts.

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting has a traveling "extended" Meeting for worship quarterly, where Friends gather for about 3 hours of Worship. I know that many who attend are longing for more, and like me don't know where to find it and experience it.
That is the main purpose of this blog- to find others who want to journey along with me in silent community and make it possible for other to join us.
Interested?
Agree/disagree?
Leave a comment

on silent refuge

these words from the Great Tree Zen Temple

Silence:
Silence is an opportunity to communicate with our whole being, our body language, our unspoken thoughts, and a creative expression which speaks more clearly than words. It is authentic and all inclusive – in Silence we are able to hear, express, and engage from the core of our Being.
At Great Tree Zen Temple, ‘Silent Retreat’ means to enter into every activity with mindfulness and a desire to honor the quiet within, being present in the moment without the distraction of unnecessary words or discussion. Amidst our busy lives it is often difficult to imagine communicating without words. A silent retreat offers an opportunity to explore and honor the gifts and insights which arise from SILENCE.

These friends speak my mind. It is my prayer to facilitate the being of Still Waters Refuge to support and nurture the space for Friends to retreat in silent refuge, under the care of Friends.
Keep praying
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covenant relationship

Dear friend, beautiful strong woman,sister in paint and Christ, Jen Elam, called me last night to wish me a happy birthday. Wonderful conversation and sharing followed, as if we saw each other each day tho time and space has separated us these past years.Thank you God for true friendship and community that is not a person or place.
We spoke of the challenges of living alone and longing for true relationship- what I am calling covenant relationship;the desire to be in right triune relationship with all beings, God(Spirit, Goddess,etc.)myself and other in Universal Love and Compassion as we are called to be by all Beings of Light(Jesus, Buddha, Allah,etc.)
This vow and only this to Love ourselves and each other and God as we are Loved and to share this love with all beings, at all times, everywhere.

We spoke of how communities we've been "members" of that used the words, "family" and "community" felt more like one night stands than marriage. A sense of deep intimacy was created and then after the allotted time was up---nothing---.

Dear Friend Mickey Edgerton says God's will for us is our deepest heart's desire.
I believe God's will for me to be a living example of Love, at all times, in everyday life and to create community that supports living in Love.

And when I mess up, my dear friends will clean up the mess and help me, with Love.

Living alone gives the gift of opportunity to love many rather than just one. I understand this gift and am grateful for it.

My selfish birthday wish is for partners in this journey to covenant community.
Leave a comment.

The prayer is for loving kindness for all beings, seen and unseen, known and unknown, born and unborn, those living near and far away.

May all beings be happy
May all beings be peaceful
May all beings be well, in body , mind and spirit
May all beings be safe and free from harm
May all beings everywhere, be free.

The gift of silence

---some of this content is paraphrased from a hand out given to me by Sally Palmer at Pendle Hill. Please post of you know the author---

Keeping silence is a privilege and opportunity to be nurtured and cherished.

It stands apart from the experience of being silenced by family, society, institutions, oppressive regimes---souls who long to be heard into speech.

Chosen silence is neither empty or impotent.
Chosen solitude is not lonely.

The paradox of silence gathers and focuses us, and provides space for our hearts and minds to be free.

Waiting is part of silence. Being hushed before the Holy One, the Great Mother, is pure prayer.

Communal silence unites us in action and stillness.

Receiving is part of silence. The quiet mind and spirit is the vessel waiting to contain God's will, the Goddess way.

Is there enough silence for the word to be heard?

stilness in action/action in stillness

Since my first post just 24 hours ago I have received multiple emails and links directing me to retreats, workshops, blogs and websites with activities, workshops, and other things i can do to renew and deepen my life in the Spirit.
This is exactly what still waters is about.
Letting go of attachment to the conditioned mindset that there is something we need to do or learn to be in the prophetic stream and in communion with the living Spirit.
Come join with me on this journey into breath, silence and being.
Fully awake and aware of what is going on in our own minds and to the working of the Spirit within us and without us.

And have them make me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8

english as a third language

English is a difficult language to transmit the inner to the outer.There is so much room for misinterpretation.
My first language is silence.
The second art.
The third english.

Keeping Quiet

Now we will count to twelve

and we will all keep still.

This one time upon the earth,

let's not speak any language,

let's stop for one second,

and not move our arms so much.

It would be a delicious moment,

without hurry, without locomotives,

all of us would be together

in a sudden uneasiness.

The fishermen in the cold sea

would do no harm to the whales

and the peasant gathering salt

would look at his torn hands.

Those who prepare green wars,

wars of gas, wars of fire,

victories without survivors,

would put on clean clothing

and would walk alongside their brothers

in the shade, without doing a thing.

What I want shouldn't be confused

with final inactivity:

life alone is what matters,

I want nothing to do with death.

If we weren't unanimous

about keeping our lives so much in motion,

if we could do nothing for once,

perhaps a great silence would

interrupt this sadness,

this never understanding ourselves

and threatening ourselves with death,

perhaps the earth is teaching us

when everything seems to be dead

and then everything is alive.

Now I will count to twelve

and you keep quiet and I'll go.

Pablo Neruda