[the post happened by accident] -- continuing -- There's a somewhat derogatory term of "popcorn meeting" for one where many people stand and speak. And there's a stereotype of messages which begin with "I read in the Times" or "heard on NPR" "this morning" or "this week" as being -- not as valuable a contribution. Then, more or less at the end of the hour, someone will turn to another person and shake their hand and say "Meeting will rise."
What one does in that hour (more or less) of silence (more or less) varies. For me, there have been a few different rewarding patterns. I'll frame them psychologically and not theologically, but i can switch frames if you are curious. The first pattern begins with a guided meditation i developed for myself. It's a symbol-rich complex mental space, and over the years i found my imagination taking the symbols and presenting them in ways that comforted me or challenged me (or both). Sometimes more symbols would be inserted. An example would be a visualized space of a peach orchard on a pleasant summer day, where i bite into the rich sweet juicy peach, and think of it as a gift of courage. Once, the peach transformed into my beating heart. The etymology of the word courage from the Latin, cor, heart, came to mind, along with traditions -- and instead of taking a peach of a tree as the gift of courage, i found the sense of my own heart as the seat of a gift of courage to be much more personal and visceral (*cough*).
There have been times when the messages people share trigger insights or when a strong sense of community colors the experience. This is less visual and less easily described.
And there've been times i am wrestling with a concern, and in the discipline of sitting in silence i'm able to develop clarity. In some ways, my current therapy sessions talking through things meets this need, but the practice of sitting open and waiting for insight has been just as powerful.
So, i'd say the benefits have been developing a greater capacity for joy and compassion, a confident clarity in decision making, and a less easily distressed state of being.
no subject
What one does in that hour (more or less) of silence (more or less) varies. For me, there have been a few different rewarding patterns. I'll frame them psychologically and not theologically, but i can switch frames if you are curious. The first pattern begins with a guided meditation i developed for myself. It's a symbol-rich complex mental space, and over the years i found my imagination taking the symbols and presenting them in ways that comforted me or challenged me (or both). Sometimes more symbols would be inserted. An example would be a visualized space of a peach orchard on a pleasant summer day, where i bite into the rich sweet juicy peach, and think of it as a gift of courage. Once, the peach transformed into my beating heart. The etymology of the word courage from the Latin, cor, heart, came to mind, along with traditions -- and instead of taking a peach of a tree as the gift of courage, i found the sense of my own heart as the seat of a gift of courage to be much more personal and visceral (*cough*).
There have been times when the messages people share trigger insights or when a strong sense of community colors the experience. This is less visual and less easily described.
And there've been times i am wrestling with a concern, and in the discipline of sitting in silence i'm able to develop clarity. In some ways, my current therapy sessions talking through things meets this need, but the practice of sitting open and waiting for insight has been just as powerful.
So, i'd say the benefits have been developing a greater capacity for joy and compassion, a confident clarity in decision making, and a less easily distressed state of being.