A number of years ago I attended a weekend retreat for women. On the first night, after supper, we were told that we would all spend the evening and the night in silence. I had never done anything like that, but I was intrigued.
It was a strange and lovely time. About fifty women of all ages moving around, sitting together, reading, writing, drawing...but not talking. The beauty and power of those hours stayed with me.Then a few years ago, I offered two retreats for women, and both of them included periods of silence. Every woman who attended said those times were easier than she'd expected them to be. They also agreed that the silence was gentle and strong and almost tangible. Women wrote and sat together, sewed, walked.
The silence surrounded and filled us, and it soon became like a wonderful friend whose presence is welcome and comforting. I encourage you to find ways to take part in communal silence, even for just an evening or a day. You may be surprised at what you find there.
During the last afternoon, I wrote the following poem to express how the silence and the weekend felt to me.
Silent Treat
Silence settles around us – a shawl,
surrounding us with such substance,
i am almost surprised i can’t see it.
Tangible,
Soft containment.
Limitless.
Impossibly silken fog becomes the air we breathe,
and within which we grow --
heal and rest.
Listen
Souls planted firmly on the ground,
arms reach for wind and rain and sun.
Silence settles within us…
Within.
Us.
To find our Selves.
Each lowered i rises,
is
here
now…
becomes we...
We descend into silence
and become.
1 comment:
August 7,2010 @11:52 a.m.
The more I read this poem the more it makes sense to me; especially, quietly I gaze out my window overlooking a field of trees being blown by gusts of wind pressed against blue sky with passing clouds and beaming sunshine. The use of lower case "i" in this poem allows me to be reminded of one being engaged in this world of glorious, wondrous,beautiful nature.
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