SOME THOUGHTS FOR OUR YEAR OF INNER PEACE ~

We used the following as part of two presentations called "Illumination Through Silence" back in 2005. We started the presentation much as is described  in the brief excerpt below, that is as Morrie did in his classroom, in absolute silence. In our observations in those 5 whole silent minutes, (EDIT - Actually I now believe it was 10 minutes!) we witnessed spiritual people and ACIM ministers become increasingly agitated by the silence. Some did simply meditate with eyes closed, yet others talked, flipped angrily through magazines and the like. There was an uncomfortability that was present in the air. Why DOES silence make us so uncomfortable? Why do we feel we need to fill in the gaps?

We can sit in stillness in a quiet room all alone, yet where is the stillness when we are in a traffic jam? Dealing with screaming kids? Becoming anxious while in a conversation with someone? The practice of stillness can be that at first, taking the time to sit down, get comfortable and quiet the mind. Then we move from that structure and into carrying it with us everywhere we go. We do not want the structure to become rigid. We want to be free, we want to be connected with Holy Spirit 24/7. Wherever I go, there I am, and I am with the peace within.

The Value of Silence by Rabbi Boruch Leff
Thoughts on the book “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom

Mitch describes a college experience with Morrie:

"He enters the classroom, sits down, doesn't say anything. He looks at us, we look at him. At first, there are a few giggles, but Morrie only shrugs, and eventually a deep silence falls and we begin noticing the smallest sounds, the radiator humming in the corner of the room, the nasal breathing of one of the students. Some of us are agitated. When is he going to say something? We squirm, check our watches. A few students look out the window, trying to be above it all. This goes on for a good fifteen minutes, before Morrie breaks in with a whisper. 'What's happening here?' he asks. And slowly a discussion begin -- as Morrie has wanted all along -- about the effect of silence on human relations. Why are we embarrassed by silence? What comfort do we find in all the noise?"

The question got me thinking. Noise lets us ignore our most difficult struggle and our most precious possession: our true and profound selves. Very often, it is painful to face one's true inner core. It is hard to be absolutely honest with oneself. Shakespeare writes in Hamlet, "This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day," but we often fail in this regard. We fool ourselves, and the noise and distractions of life help us in this effort. Constant external stimuli and occurrences allow us to avoid dealing with our inner being.

When we're alone in the car, do we immediately reach for the radio? Is it any wonder that talk radio is such a booming international business? We are so afraid of silence, so fearful of the opportunity to be with ourselves and penetrate our inner world.

Be at Peace,

Rev. Deb Phelps