In kindergarten music class, I remember my teacher running an experiment with us.  She had us sit in silence for a full minute. No talking, no moving. Then immediately after she gave us another full minute where we could talk or be silly. Guess which minute seemed interminable? Even then, I was acutely aware of my own limitations, and the volume of my thoughts seemed turned up to a much higher level. While I’ve never had a problem with quiet activities like reading, solitary walks in secluded places, going to movies by myself, I learned that there is a huge difference between alone time and the practice of silence.

An increasing number of people are seeking silence through retreats or intentional time away from their busy lives, an article from the Washington Post reports. “Mindfulness” is trendy and many are looking for spaces and time conducive to its practice. But one thing they are finding is that silence is really difficult, and that “many people would rather do just about anything else.” It can be incredibly uncomfortable to sit in a peaceful place, absent of distraction, precisely because we aren’t distracted! We can clearly hear ourselves think, and all that is swirling around in us can be overwhelming. It’s no surprise the global entertainment and media industry has revenues of over $2 trillion annually. Distraction is big business.  One of the people interviewed in the article asks, “Am I keeping things from myself? If I can find a way to get out of my surroundings, will I hear other things that are troubling that I haven’t heard?”.  That question, and the implication of maybe having to answer it, would certainly be enough to keep many away from silence.

Before I went on my first personal retreat, my older brother, much more experienced in this realm, gave me one piece of advice: don’t bring an agenda. He counseled me to keep my heart, mind and hands open to what the Lord would say and do during my time and not to bring a spiritual to-do list with me. It was one of the scariest pieces of advice I’ve ever been given, (I take great comfort in agendas and to-do lists) and one of the best. Silence is usually uncomfortable at first, and sometimes painful. That is why it is important to go with God into the silence, and to think of it like an offering. There is a sign at Corhaven that reads: Bidden or unbidden, God is present here.  So He’s always around, but wouldn’t things go easier if we were aware and even welcoming towards His presence?

We’ve got our Fall schedule in place, what about you? Do you have time set aside to be with the Lord and seek him in Silence? We would invite you to think about doing that at Corhaven starting in September.  Dates fill up fast so be sure to fill out an inquiry form soon if you’re interested in a personal retreat, or perhaps one of our group retreats in Northern Virginia, Baltimore, or at Corhaven.  There’s always space for silence and take heart, you never go into it alone.