Shhhhhh

Last week I went on a week’s retreat. It was a time of spiritual refreshment and was using poetry writing and some gentle artwork as ways of reflecting and meditating. I was very excited about the poetry part of it as it’s part of what I am trying to recover in my routine of reflection during my sabbatical.

However, the night before I went away when I looked at an email with the programme on it, I saw that from Monday evening through to Thursday evening it was a silent retreat! Anyone who knows me will know how difficult that is for me. Some of you may even be chuckling at the thought of me being quiet for that long.

I decided to do my best and use the opportunity that was being offered to me by keeping the silence. The silence yawned throughout the whole day, including mealtimes, although we were permitted to whisper when we wanted toast at breakfast or were placing an order at the bar in the evening (yes, a bar, how civilised). And we were allowed to talk in the ‘input’ sessions with the guest poet and artist – Martin (poet) and Meg (artist) Wroe which were a real blessing. But it was also a challenge. I wondered why a creative retreat was being conducted in relative silence.

What was the purpose of the silence? Was it some sort of penance for overtalkative clergy (we were told that most of us the participants were or had been clergy, but there was a strict ‘no shop talk’ rule so we never found out more about that aspect of each other)?

I found that the silence took away distractions. When we talk with other people and take on board what they are saying it may provoke thoughts, questions and words in us in response. Those things are not bad, but if you’re trying to focus you don’t need distractions. A week’s silence enabled me to focus more on God, and also more on being creative.

I did write some new pomes. I’ll be putting some of those that may be worth sharing in the pomes section of this site, but here’s one that I wrote.

We were asked to write a prayer. This pome is a personal reflection that is not really based on recollections of any particular moments, but is more of a composite of how I could, did and do get things wrong as a minister when I am not fully engaged with God and people simultaneously.

Be blessed, be a blessing