As we continue in our series on ways to seek silence amidst a noisy world, let us now discuss a few practical ways to seek silence on a weekly and/or monthly basis. Seeking rhythms of silence can be a challenge in a busy, noisy, and distracting world. Seeking these rhythms on a weekly basis takes a bit of planning, but it’s worth the effort; the most important decision to make is choosing the day and a time. Block out at least an hour, maybe two or three depending on your schedule. If possible, plan for this time to be on Sunday (the day for regular Sabbath) as this is the day that should be set aside for normative rhythms of worship and rest. However, if another day during the week works better for your schedule, do it then. The point is to simply do it when it is most convenient and during a time that works best for you. You may not have a day on a weekly basis to set aside for silence, so a monthly basis may be more conducive to your schedule.
Once you have set aside the day and time, simply sit and silence for at least an hour. As with the daily rhythm, do not read a book or even read your Bible. Simply sit in silence in the presence of your Creator. Begin your time with a simple word of prayer. I like to say the Collect for Purity from the Book of Common Prayer or the Gloria Patri to dedicate your time to the Lord. Since this will be an extended period of silence, it may be helpful to have a journal or notebook with you to write down anything that comes to mind during your session. Allow for a period of about thirty minutes before you begin to write anything down. As with the daily period of silence, be attentive to what comes to mind.
Again, there will be distractions, things that you are eager to accomplish and tasks that need your attention. Set them aside and focus on the silence. Pay attention to the words and phrases and passages of scripture that come to mind. After a few minutes, write down some of these in your journal or notebook. Ponder them, and pray through them. If anything comes to mind that you need to confess to the Lord, confess it. Pay attention also to the things that the Lord may be asking you to do. Is there someone you need to help, to encourage, or pray for? Take the time to write them down in your journal or notebook and give them to the Lord.
Given that this will be an extended period of silence, you may want to be accompanied by a cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of water as a refreshment along the way. However, the point of this silence is not intended to be during a meal or any other activity. Another temptation may be to fall asleep, especially if you are sitting in a comfortable chair or laying across your bed. Throughout church history many saints in the ascetic tradition opted to spend extended periods of silence and solitude in uncomfortable positions, such as sitting on the ground or laying on a hard surface. Saint Benedict of Nursia is famous for spending extended periods of time in a dark cave. The point for these saints was to deny themselves in an effort to depend completely on the Lord. That is not necessarily the call here, although you may feel so led. Simply follow the Spirit’s leading in that regard.
As your period of silence draws to close it may be helpful to pray a Psalm or another passage of Scripture. The point here is not Bible study, but contemplative prayer. Consider closing your time by saying the Lord’s Prayer or another prayer. Be attentive to how you feel afterward. Use that as an opportunity for prayer throughout the day or in the next week as you enter into your next extended period of silence. As we continue in our daily, weekly and/or monthly rhythms of silence, this begins to prepare our hearts and minds for an even more extended period of silence on a yearly basis. This will be the discussion in our next and final article in this series.
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