Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

    I often wish I could go on a silent week-end retreat.  Somewhere where
    my physical needs (room, meals) were taken care of for me and my usual
    distractions absent.  I'm not sure how I would use that time --
    probably some short readings of Scripture and Christian mystics or
    other devotional material, maybe some music -- and a book to write in.
    
    There is an order of cloistered nuns in a town near where I live, and
    I have often wondered if they would take in such a "boarder" for a
    week-end, but I never had the courage to inquire.  (They sell homemade
    bread and stuff, but I *think* they pass stuff through a door.)
    
    Anyway, about a year and a half ago, the United Methodist Women in our
    conference sponsored a silent retreat and I gratefully attended. 
    Although it was not completely silent (we Protestants haven't mastered
    that art!), it did offer long segments of time for silent reflection.
    
    I asked God what He wanted me to do with my life at that point (both
    kids having left the nest for at least most of the time).  Was He
    trying to get through to me with some new calling or direction -- or
    did He want me to basically continue as I was (which was/is trying to
    work hard to pay bills, keep son in college, care about aging parents,
    etc., etc.)  I felt I truly did not have an "agenda" of expected
    response.  I just tried to "be open."
    
    Well, it would have been nice if that had been one of those exceptional
    times when God "sorta sneaks up" on me, shakes me up, and leaves me in
    awe and wonder.  But I was determined not to "dictate" how God would
    deal with me.  I included in my prayers that I understood that His
    "answer" might be, in this case, "*no answer*."
    
    This was the case -- no special new calling or direction.  I did feel
    that I was "in the right place at the right time" -- that I was where
    God wanted me to be, even though it was doing ordinary work and
    everyday things.  I also took away with me a deep love for the
    following verse:
    
    "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall
    mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they
    shall walk and not faint!"
    
    I would go again.
    
    Peace,
    Nancy

    For Quakers, silence is *very* important.  Traditional Quaker worship
    is unprogrammed, with the attenders sitting in a silence that is only
    punctuated when an individual feels moved to speak.  I have attended
    many Quaker meetings in which no one spoke for the entire hour of
    worship.

    I have experienced during those hours of silence what I call a
    "mystical breakthrough".  The key for me has been to concentrate and
    contemplate, rather than just letting my mind wander aimlessly--
    although perhaps a little aimless wandering is good also.  It is
    especially when I am seriously contemplating that I often find new
    insights emerging.  The value that I find in a group mysticism, such as
    is found in a Quaker meeting, is that the various individuals, when any
    do break the silence, can contribute to each other's silent
    contemplation and thus help prod forward the mystical breakthroughs.

    -- Mike

    Good topic Nancy ! 

    I always wondered why I'm attracted to silence, but yet I'm so loud ?

    I love centering prayer and contemplation, which for a while I couldn't
    understand because I'm such an extrovert. Anyway, years ago I found
    a book on the psychology of prayer, and it was interesting to find that
    we often seek a style of prayer that is opposite to our behavior.
    Extroverts desire quite, introverts desire a more active style, such
    as Charismatics do.

    I'm interested to hear what others have to say.

    Peace
    Jim

    
    
    HI Nancy,
    
    Where are you located?  I seem to recall hearing about one or two
    Christian retreat centers in the Boston area.  Also, a friend of
    mine is attending a Creation Spirituality retreat sponsored by a
    group from the Paulist Center.
    
    I too have been thinking of some alone time just to reflect on
    God and life.
    
    Carole

    Silence and nature is a very powerful combination for me.
    
    In those moments, the presence of God has oftentimes moved 
    me to tears.
    
    Like others I wish to create more silent interludes such as
    this.
    
    A dream I've had for a few years is to spend a summer in quiet solitude
    in a cabin somewhere in the mountains.
    
    Karen
         

    About a year ago I began to naturally experience periods of inner 
    quiet during prayer and I, too, have been moved to tears by God's
    presence and His love during such times.
    
    I have found that a regular and significant time of daily prayer 
    and a real openness to the Lord has helped prepare me for such
    an awesome encounter.
    
    I have found myself drawn to a much simpler and quieter life as
    the year has progressed despite a lifelong love of music and
    activity.
    
    Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I AM God: I will be exalted
                 among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."
    
    1 Kings 19:11-13  " And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount 
        before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, a great and strong 
        wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the 
        Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind : and after the wind and 
        earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake : and after the 
        earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire : and after the
        fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that 
        he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the 
        entering of the cave."
    
    Peace and stillness,
    
    Mary
    

    I enjoy my quite time with the Lord. I fine it most refreshing when I'm
    in a place of great bueaty and I can see His work. Just sitting there
    and talking to God, giving thanks for all that He created and just chit
    chating with Him always leaves me refreshed.
    
    God bles,
    bill

Hello To All,
      I had written this note a couple of years ago in the Catholic-Theology
    conference, and thought it would be good to share it here. 

My favorite way of prayer is centering prayer. I learned this 
about eight years ago and do it every night and as often as I can in the 
morning. Let me explain how I do it. I start of by sitting quietly for a couple
of minutes, for most of us this is something unusual, just sitting not thinking
or doing anything. I next ask the Holy Spirit for help in my prayer, and then
I read some prayers from a prayer book I have, this is to quiet myself before
centering. After I'm relaxed and quiet I close my eyes and start to repeat a
prayer word in my mind, ( a prayer word can consist of anything but should be 
just a few words. Mine is Lord Jesus). I put myself in the presence of the
Lord Jesus, and continue to repeat the prayer word. If I'm distracted or I
become aware of my thoughts going to something else I just gently return to
my prayer word. I center on an average of about 10-20 minutes, I don't rush
out of it, the Lord seems to let me know when its time to go, and I leave
my center by saying an Our Father slowly, taking in all its meaning. I 
finish with a Scripture reading that I contemplate on until the next
prayer time. 
		I would be interested in knowing if there are others that
are into centering prayer, and would share their experiences. If there are
others who would like to learn centering prayer, what I have explained is
basically it, but there are also a couple of books that I know of, one
is "Finding Grace At The Center" and Centering Prayer by Basil Penington,
who is a Trappist Monk out at St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Mass. Another
book that author is unknown, and I don't know the editor's name is 
"The Cloud Of Unknowing".

Your Friend In Christ
Jim

    Jim,
    
    As my personal name indicates, I believe the secret of strength
    lies in the quiet mind.  I too do what you call centering prayer,
    only I define it as meditation.  To me prayer means me talking to
    God, whereas meditation is me listening to God, but I do think you
    and I are doing the same thing.  
    
    Thanks for sharing,
    
    Ro

    Ro,
    	yes we could be doing the same thing. I would only add that
    in centering prayer, it isn't so much listening to God, but just being with 
    God.

    To use an analogy, when I'am with my wife at home in the living room
    just relaxing, there are those times when nothing needs to be said
    or heard. Just being there together is an expression of love that
    exceeds all communication. We communicate when we have a need
    to be listen too, or to hear. In centering, there is no need but be
    with Christ in silence. Just being with Him is enough. Prayers of
    praise or petition are not needed at this moment. The silence is the
    expression of praise in a sense, and the faith at that moment realizes
    that he knows our needs.

    There are no expectations in centering prayer even thought much is
    received. There is no awareness, all though awareness is enhanced.
    It's really loaded with paradoxes like that.


    Peace
    Jim

    
      Some of you may or may not know that one of the things Zen Buddhists
    do is sit. It is more properly called,"Zazen". However if you were
    to see me during zazen you would probably say, "He's just sitting
    there doing nothing" and you would be correct.
      Nothing is not an easy thing to do. Oh, you can sit and be quiet
    pretty easily, but to quiet your mind is not so easy. True silence,
    is silence of the mind as well as of the mouth.
      Now, I am not going to describe what zazen is like to you because
    it can't be done.
      Get a cushion and put it on the floor. Sit cross legged with your
    spine straight and your head held level. Loosely cup your hands
    together in your lap. Now, turn your brain off for a little while.
    This may not happen right away or at all the first few times, but
    it will and when it does you will know it.
      You don't need to go to a mountain top or to a hermitage deep
    in the woods to do this. Most floors will work nicely for zazen.
      As Jim said about centering prayer your are not doing anything
    except being present. That is quite enough isn't it ?
    
    
                                                       Mike
                                                                        
    

    Part of the feeling of needing to "go away" to be *really* quiet is the
    need to get away from as much (extraneous) human-generated noise as 
    possible. This summer a truck hit a major power pole near our house, 
    and for several hours traffic was prevented from going past our house 
    and we had no electricity.  Though I did not use that opportunity for
    meditation, it certainly pointed up a different lifestyle -- neighbors
    walked freely down the middle of the street and chatted; kids had
    the middle of the street for their skateboards -- AND I realized once
    again how much *noise* there is in our house even from the
    refrigerator!!
    
    During that time, the *natural earth* seemed much *closer*.  Though there 
    were interesting distractions (watching the electric company's progress,
    chatting with neighbors) it was really great not to have the "larger
    distractions" brought by traffic and by all the stimuli that
    electricity brings into our homes.
    
    Nancy

    I make an annual week-end retreat at Calvary Retreat Center, in 
    Shrewsbury, Mass. I just went last week-end. It is run by Passionist
    Priest whose main function is retreat ministry. There is much time
    for quiet reflection and meditation. I recall each year that the
    silence is so thick that it rings your ears. The week-end isn't
    complete silence though, there are talks, prayer services and of
    course Mass.

    St. Joseph Abbey in Spencer, Mass offers retreats that are 
    not structured. It is a Trappist monastery. Trappist take vow's 
    of silence. They also make the famous Trappist jams and jellies.
    I believe Thomas Merton was at this monastery for a time. Basil
    Penington, author of, "Finding Grace At The Center," the book I
    mentioned earlier is. I've never been on a retreat there, but from 
    what I understand you are pretty much left  to yourself. Takes almost 
    a year to get a reservation, from what I understand.

    Now, I don't know the name of the place, but in Princeton, Mass. there
    is a Zen retreat center on rt 31. Perhaps Mike Seayburym knows of it.

    Weston Priory in the beautiful Green Mountains of Vermont offer
    retreats, but I'm not sure of the details. This monastery is run by
    Benedictine Monks, who are famous in the Catholic tradition for their
    music. They have published a great number of albums, and most Church's
    in North America, use their hymns at Sunday Mass.

    Anyway, if you would like more information on Calvary Retreat Center, I'd 
    more than happy to give you the details. Also, I can get information on
    where the Passionist's have retreat center's  all over the world.

    
    Hi Jim,
    
    As a long time resident of Princeton, I've never hear of any Zen
    organization in town. Then again, perhaps they're not overtly
    advertising the fact. :)
    
    Charlie

    I've been by it  on my way home from fishing at Comet pond in 
    Hubardston, Mass.

    You know ? Come to thing of it, it wasn't on rt 31 but on Mountain
    Road that comes off rt.62 & 31, and runs past Mt. Wachusett. The place
    had a iron gate and was formerly a mansion of some sort. They had a sign
    on the front gate. Also, a few years ago, the Boston Globe's Parade
    magazine did a story on retreats in the N.E. area, and that was
    mentioned.

     Maybe it went belly up  ?

    Jim

    
    I know the place your talking about, but I don't recall seeing any
    sign recently. This doesn't mean that there isn't one :), just that
    I've never seen one when passing by.
    
    -c.

    The Zen center mentioned is in Barre Mass and still in operation.
    
    Karen
    
    p.s.  Jim, I have several albums by the Weston Priory monks, and the
    	  music *is* truly beautiful.

    
    
    RE: .14 Jim
    
    I have also visited the Weston Priory in Vermont.  It is a beautiful
    place!  We stayed in town at the Weston Inn - don't know if the
    Benedictine Monks open the Priory for retreats or not.  I most
    enjoyed the 5:30 am service in the chapel, watching the sun rise,
    and the Sunday morning service in the barn that was filled to
    overflowing.  As communion was given out, the people sang "That
    There May Be Bread" - my favorite of their songs, and it always
    brings tears to my eyes.
    
    Carole

    Weston Priory is very dear to me. It was the place where I became born
    again. I know what you mean about that sunrise service, Carole. I can
    remeber seeing the first rays of the sun shine in and illuminate the
    communion vessels while the monks were singing "All the earth is alive 
    with the rising of the new day. Let the bells ring full with you.
    Alleluia Alleluia.  Fantastic!
    
      I really got to know Michelle (my wife) for the first time there. We sat 
    by the little pond and talked for hours. 
    
      It's been years since I've been there. Thanks for the reminder of joyful
    memories. 
    
    Gil

    I *love* that song Gil!!  Thanks so much, the music and words filled 
    me as I read your words:
    
    "All the earth is alive with the rising of a new day...."
    
    Do you already have music from the Weston Priory at home?  
    If not I'd be happy to make a tape for you, as I'll be making
    a few soon anyway.  Let me know.
    
    Karen
    
    p.s. Carole, I also recall that "All the Earth is alive" has been 
    		a personal name of yours.  It came from this song, yes?

    Karen,
    
      I have a lot of their albums. Thanks anyway.
    
    Gil

    Karen-for-all-of-us,
    
    I'll take one if you'll allow me to pay for the cassette and postage.
    
    Pax,
    Richard

    re:Karen & Gil,
    
    Which album is that song on ?
    
    Jim
            

    
    
    Yes Karen...I borrowed the personal name string from that song!
    
    C.

    Richard,
    
    I'll look this weekend. And let you know.
    
    Gil

    Richard,
    
    Consider your tape taped! :-)  Talk to you off-line...
    
    Jim,
    
    I'm not sure which album it's on either - I'll find out
    soon though.  Gee, don't ya wish for times like these notes 
    could be audio?
    
    Karen

    Notes as audio?
    
     Not with my singing voice. :-)
    
    Gil

    Gil,
    
    Well, maybe you could "lip sync" your notes (if the time ever comes)
    with the help of the brothers from the Weston Priory.... :-)
    
    Jim,
    
    Btw, "All the Earth is Alive" is the first song on the second
    side of _That There May Be Bread_.
    
    Richard & Nancy,
    
    First side of your tapes are done. :-)  It was great taping them too,
    the words to all the songs are provided in the album so I sang along
    with every song -- even though I was "supposed" to be doing homework. 
    
    B^/  B^)
    
    Karen
                                                             

    Karen,
    	 I haven't listen to that album in sometime now. I'll have to 
    listen to it tonight. 
    
    
    
    Thanks
    Jim

    Gil -
    
    I think Karen's idea of lip-synching is great?  Think you could
    lip-synch me?  or would that sort of be like watching a dubbed foreign
    film?  ;-)
    
    Nanci

    Karen,
    
    >Richard & Nancy,
   > 
   > First side of your tapes are done. :-)  
    
    The check is in the mail!
    
    Nancy
    

    From the Sunday Boston Globe:
    		Healers emphasize power of prayer
    
    Danvers - Silence and awe, reverence and gratitude are simple tools of
    prayer, as common as mud ans as old as humanity.
    
    Yet theologians, scientists and contemporary healers and helpers from
    many professions are rediscovering what mystics have known for
    millennia:  These channels of meditation can make us healthier and can
    even lead to changes in our ways of thinking that can help us transform
    the health of our society and our planet.
    
    About 600 people -- including therapists, pastors, public health
    nurses, theologians, research scientiests and mystics, both New Age and
    Old Age -- gathered at a conference this weekend to explore the links
    between health and spirituality, building on the notion that not only
    is it good to pray but also that prayer is good for you.
    
    "We're discovering nothing new," said Dr. Herbert Benson, the chief of
    behavioral medicine at New England Deaconess Hospital, who delivered
    the conference's keynote address on his pioneering research on the
    medical implications and applications of meditation.
    
    "We view what we're doing not as a scientific explanation of these
    spiritual phenomena but as an affirmation, with our empirical data, of
    what the great religious traditions have been saying all along," said
    Benson, one of the originators of the conference.
    
    Unified under the theme, "The Abumdant Life," and cosponsored by
    Andover Newton Theological School, the University of Massachusetts
    Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital's pastoral care
    department, the conference was based on a vision of wellness that
    argues that to remain healthy, people must remain aware of their entire
    selves -- body, mind, soul, psyche and the part of the self that
    relates to others.
    
    The conference drew several noted speakers, including M. Scott Peck,
    the author and psychiatrist; Maya Angelou, the poet, playwright and
    educator; Rev. Matthew Fox, the creationist theologian; and Harvey Cox,
    the Harvard Divinity School professor.
    
    Benson's research established that a variety of different techniques
    can achieve the deep physiological state he calls the relaxation
    response....
    
    The downside or negative aspect of meditation is the missionary zeal
    with which some individuals try to convince other that their path is
    the best -- when, in fact, research indicates that any number of paths
    are equal in value...
    
    Rev. Fox, a proponent of an earth-centered theology called "creation
    spirituality," gave a short definition of prayer ....[as] a "radical
    response to life that in its psychological dimension is mysticism and
    that in its prophetic dimension is the demand for justice." .... 

    
    There is a wonderful book written by Anne Morrow Lindbergh called "Gift
    From The Sea".  It's now on its 25th anniversary printing.  
    
    Last month, I went out to a yoga center, a place called Kripalu Center
    in Lenox, Mass.  It was $70.00 per night which included 3 buffet
    vegetarian meals eaten in silence, double room where I brought my
    sleeping bag and pillow (though they have deluxe and dorm-style rooms
    for various prices), access to all facilities including sauna and
    whirlpool and the lake in summertime.  They do not practice any
    specific religion - it's actually a prior Jesuit monestary purchased by
    Kripalu a number of years ago - on 350 acres of land and a view which
    is spectacular.  The old wooden benches with the crosses in them are
    right next to the stained-glass representations of "Om".  Throughout
    the day are offered dance-aerobic, yoga, meditation, aerobic walking,
    hiking, and all sorts of things...all included in the price.
    
    For a copy of their catalog, send your name and address to:
    
    	Kripalu Center
    	Box 793
    	Lenox, MA  01240
    
    It's a non-profit organization, and their phone # is: 413-637-3280
    
    Cindy
    
    PS. They have a silent meditation garden too.
    
    PPS. Still catching up...only 1700 notes to go.  (;^)

    Cindy,
    	Jesuit MONASTARY in LENOX ???  There used to be a Jesuit-run prep
    school there, Cranwell, which was sold a number of years ago. Lovely
    place with a golf course and a beautiful chapel in the round. The main
    building was an old mansion in good repair, a donation. Acres of grass
    surrounded by fields and woods, flowers growing wild by the roads. The
    village is a few miles away, a good walk, and a few miles in another
    direction is the town lake. Perhaps this is where you mean ?

Article: 240
From: leilas@ems.cdc.com (Leila Schneberger)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.quaker
Subject: The Psychology of Silence
Date: 11 Nov 92 14:02:15 GMT
Sender: sys@ems.ems.cdc.com
Organization: Empros Systems International, a division of Ceridian
 
The following was written by Pierre Lacout, a Swiss Friend. It was
originally published as Dieu est Silence:
 
"Contemplative silence is a special form of attention. The better we understand
the latter, the better we can practise the former. Malebranche tells us that
attention is 'a natural prayer by which we are enabled to be enlightened by
Reason.' John of the Cross writes tof contemplation that it is 'loving
attention.' The philosopher states that attention is prayer, the mystic that
prayer in its highest form is attention. Everything is to be gained, in my
opinion, by such a comparison.
 
Attention is seeing with the eyes of the spirit. It is an inward attitude.
These ways of seeing, these attitudes, seek to fix themselves on their
object, the better to grasp it, analyse it, be penetrated by it. Our eyes
can be turned towards outward things, toward material realities, or inward
towards psychic realities - ideas or states of mind. Is not contemplative
silence a look inwards to the deep realities of the soul? Silence has this
peculiarity that it seeks an object which is hidden - it is a gaze fixed
on the invisible. In the field of our conscious being there must be no point
on which it comes to rest. It is a gaze which cannot and must not have
a final objective.
 
The person who comes permanently to rest in their ideas about God,
however lofty they may be, would be turning away from God:'My thoughts
are not your thoughts.' The person who greedily clings on to the sweet 
savours which may come from God is turning away from God to nourish
themself on their own spiritual condition. Lights are not the Light.
These fragmentary pleasing experiences are not the joy and the peace
which are above all satisfaction of the senses. Contemplative silence
is a way of seeing which needs no object. It can only be defined as
direction. It is a looking towards, not a looking at. Ideas about God
are good only if I move quickly on from them. We must always go beyond.
The Inner Light is a space without boundaries.
 
The difficulty of Silence for beginners is precisely this absence of
object. The beginner needs an object. Before contemplating, the beginner
must meditate. Let them take the Gospel or other spiritual writings
and nourish themselves on words about God. Let them from the very
beginning practise looking beyond the words. It will not be very long
before spiritual understanding begins to dawn in them and this will 
make it possible to distinguish the words which lead into Silence from
those which shine with a false brilliance. The Holy Scriptures are
silent words with the power to lead the soul into silence. It is by this
sign that the friends of Silence recognize them."
 
This extract came from a small pamphlet. I have learned much about
Friends from reading what other Friends have written. Many pamphlets are
available at University libraries. I encourage people who are curious
about Friends to seek them out.
 
-- 
 
 Leila Schneberger                 leilas@ems.cdc.com  

    Mike,
    
    Thanks for posting that.  It is a beautiful primer of the mystical
    tradition.
    
    Karen

    		First-Day Thoughts

    In calm and cool and silence, once again
    	I find my old accustomed place among
    	My brethren, where, perchance, no human tongue
    	Shall utter words; where never hymn is sung,
    Nor deep-toned organ blown, nor censer swung,
    Nor dim light falling through the pictured pane!
    There, syllabled by silence, let me hear
    The still small voice which reached the prophet
    Read in my heart a still diviner law
    Than Israel's leader on his tables saw!
    There let me strive with each besetting sin,
    	Recall my wandering fancies, and restrain
    	The sore disquiet of a restless brain;
    	And, as the path of duty is made plain,
    May grace be given that I may walk therein,
    	Nor like the hireling, for his selfish gain,
    With backward glances and reluctant tread,
    Making a merit of his coward dread,
    	But, cheerful, in the light around me thrown,
    	Walking as one to pleasant service led;
    	Doing God's will as if it were my own,
    Yet trusting not in mind, but in His strength alone!

    		John Greenleaf Whittier