I spent a weekend a couple of years ago at a weekend retreat. There was some talking allowed, but it was generally not much more than a whisper. At the end I was surprised to hear my voice and how loud it sounded to me at that moment. The silence of the weekend showed me, as Simon suggests here, that stillness is a space where our soul opens up. That message is central to the writing of Parker Palmer and Thomas Merton. It seems at odds with the busyness and cacophony of our early 21st Century. Each morning I spend time in our small chapel meditating. It began with a struggle to achieve 30 minutes. Now, I walk out and realize I was there closer to an hour most days. Silence is an exquisite space to begin my day.
SILENT MUSIC
About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms. I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders. I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs. I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry. I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry. I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope and its anticipatory relationship with the future, and hope as an essential element in learning.8 responses »
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ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
When I was traveling I would generally travel by myself. To leave the radio off, or put on soft music as the plane made its way in the sky’s became a reflection time that allowed time for my subconscious mind to unscater my thoughts. This where my book Deceptive Influences was born. Time to reflect is as a time to sleep to our bodies.
Thanks again
Bill
Beautifully said Bill. That quiet space is important to allow creativity to emerge.
Beautiful share Ivon, and thank you for your wise introduction. Yes I love how time flies (or becomes irrelevant) as I enter mediation. Thank you also for introducing Simon Marsh.
Blessings, Gina
You are welcome Gina. I am finding that time is becoming more like kairos and less like chronos from Ancient Greek mythology as it flows while I meditate,
Great Post.
If there is no stillness,
there is no silence.
If there is no silence,
there is no insight.
If there is no insight,
there is no clarity.
Thank you for the lovely comment Lvsrao.
Your words that :::
stillness is a space where our soul opens up.
Silence is an exquisite space to begin
are very well said.
Thank you Lvsrao.