Exiting from silence...

Stillpoint House of Prayer has been a pure gift in my life over the past five years. Twice a year, I make a point of spending extended time in silent reflection. When people hear that I'm going on a multi-day silent retreat, the most common reaction is: Whoa! I don't think I could ever do that... But really, I think you could. Being silent is the most ordinary thing in the world. It is the most natural way for us to be. To simply be. Is it easy? It's easy to do without talking, to do without TV, computers and radios... But silencing the "monkey mind" is not so easy. That's where prayer & mediation come in. And it's not like I take a vow of silence; guests at Stillpoint are simply asked to respect the norm and the spirit of silence. We acknowledge and respect that each of us goes there for our personal reasons - and being social is usually NOT one of them.

I first went there in October 2000 when my life was in crisis. I was on medical leave from work, Hubby and I were separated, and I just needed the world to stop spinning out of (my) control. A friend suggested Stillpoint and I've been going ever since... Now, when life is abundantly good, I go there primarily to reconnect with the One who really is in control of my life and to give thanks. And to sleep. :-)

Speaking of which... back to this world. G'nite!

Quote-of-the-Day: "Noise lets us ignore our most difficult struggle and our most precious possession: our true and profound selves. " - Rabbi Boruch Leff, in The Value of Silence