Nov 9, 2015

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Go, sit in your cell and your cell will teach you everything. One thing the desert Fathers teaches us is to stay in the same place, rather than trying to find a ‘better’ teacher, someone more holy, someone who can help us make more progress. Evagrius councils against the listlessness, agitation and depression that comes out of boredom. Evagrius teaches us that in order to be Holy we must be useful. Being Holy is not achieved my moving on, by leaving, for wherever you go the same problem will find you. More talks 

ROWAN WILLIAMS is acknowledged internationally as an outstanding theological writer, scholar, and teacher. He was Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012, and he has held prestigious chairs at both Oxford University and Cambridge University. His books include Lost Icons, Being Christian, and The Wound of Knowledge. In these talks Rowan Williams draws on the wisdom of the Fathers and Mothers of the Egyptian Desert in the fourth century, from which our tradition of Christian meditation has emerged. He reflects on questions that deeply touch our modern lives. How do we live in relationship with others? How do we discover the truth about ourselves? What are our priorities, our fears? What is the place of silence, of language? How do we live within our own limitations? Rowan Williams encourages us to enter into the challenges and simplicity of the desert and find healing for our fragmented condition.

Ecumenical Prayer: Lord, we pray that this evening may be peaceful, may we listen in silence with the ears of our heart, (RSB, Prologue 1) so that we may have the wisdom to find you, the spirit to seek you and a heart to meditate upon you. (adapted from A Prayer of St. Benedict). Listen to the sound of the silence of the living walls, feel the air on your skin…be peaceful….

Join together in silence to listen to our talk

Daniel 12.1-3

The End Times

12 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise[] will shine like the brightness of the heavens.

Reflection

Shine is universally used across the worlds spiritual tradition to denote one who is enlightened. The Buddha talks about “Shining the Light of Wisdom.” Proverbs 4:18  says

‘The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,shining ever brighter till the full light of day.’

When we meet God face to face and become one with him. As St. Augustine says in city of God (22.20), We will shine like the sun and finally be ‘beautiful people.’ In Charity and humility Gods reflection will shine in us and through our works brightly and clearly. Rowan Williams talks about staying, perhaps those that shine are committed to the spiritual path but perhaps more importantly, committed to the service of others in Charity which is in the end simple acts of human kindness, something that we can all afford to offer.

Body Prayer: The Heart Breath

+ As you sit either alone of in a group Slow your breathing and feel your whole self, fully embodied and participating

+ Sit as straight as you are able, place feet slightly apart. Feel your seat as the supportive base to your spine, neck and head…… Gently place your hands comfortably in your lap, and bring your attention to your heart.

+ Allow this heart focus to merge all bodily senses into unity, ……simply exist in the silence and space of this present moment.

+ From this awareness focus on the  gift of breath, breathe this divine breath of the heart…….. Luxuriate in each breath and slow each inward and outward breath to bring the body into a restful rhythm.

+ In this space enfold any images of yourself, any feelings of past or present and ideas of future into this spacious moment- Simply be ‘I am’.

+ Let any sensations be felt in the heart but without forcing anything…… This present moment can hold with love both your sense of yes and your sense of no…., your positive images as well as your negative ones, any judgments of yourself and others.

+ Accept any thoughts  as your own experience of the present moment, accept all that is with as much love as you can manage in this present moment. Do not push away feelings and allow these to be part of your whole and present person, such things may come and go.

Bring into this rhythm of breath, all that is and all that you love.  Let the whole of creation sing in the heart as one glorious harmony.

Opening Prayer:   

As the Psalmist said…..“Be still and know that I am God” 46:10

Opening Prayer by Dom John Main, adapted for Romsey Abbey

“Heavenly Father, as we sit together in this sacred space we ask that you open our hearts to the silent presence of the spirit of your Son. Lead us into that mysterious silence where your love is revealed to all who call, ‘Maranatha…Come, Lord Jesus’.”

With eyes closed gently Chant  ‘Maranatha’ in four syllables( Ma-ra-na-tha) which means ‘Come Lord’ in Aramaic- the original language of Jesus and early Christians, Meditation will last 25 minutes. Mediation will start and end at the sound of the bell.

From Laurence Freeman OSB, “The Light of the Self,” from LIGHT WITHIN: The Inner Path of Meditation (New York: Crossroad, 1989), pp. 85-87.

Meditation exposes . . . a hard and essential truth [ . . .] :  if we cannot communicate our real self to others it is because we haven’t yet made contact with it ourselves.

If we feel isolated from those around us it is because we are isolated from ourselves.  Only when we know who we are and so can be who we are, can we communicate ourselves to others.  As you meditate you come into contact with your real communicable self.  Doing that requires a certain amount of real work in perseverance in meditation.

Perseverance will make us ask the question,” What does in fact block us from our real self?” Meditation gives us a very simple answer.  Not an easy answer, but a simple one.  “Nothing.” Nothing lies between us and our real selves.  Nothing anyway except the false idea that something does lie between them.  The false idea is what we call the ego. [. . . .]

At each time of meditation morning and evening we shuffle off another layer of self-consciousness.  First we learn to leave all ideas behind.  Then at the next layer of consciousness we detach from the imagination and we leave all images behind.  When we have done that, we are simply ourselves, unlayered and naked.  This is what Jesus called “poverty of spirit.”

It is a beautiful poverty of spirit.  It is an invigorating path to follow.  If there are times when it is rough that doesn’t stop it being happy, beautiful and peaceful.  It is a grand poverty because it sets us free to see the light of our real self and to know that we are that light. The mantra takes us through the layers of thought, language and imagination to the pure light of full consciousness.

The mantra is very simple. . . .The mantra is simply the focal point that leads us to the centre where the light of the real self shines out. As you continue to meditate you may not feel this happening during the times of meditation; don’t worry and don’t look for anything to happen. . . . [But] if you persevere then your life itself will slowly but deeply shine with that inner light . . . and you will know that the light is there in everything.

After meditation: “When I Am Among Trees,” Mary Oliver, THIRST (Boston: Beacon Press, 2006), p. 4.

When I am among the trees,

especially the willows and the honey locust,

Equally the beech, the oaks and the pines, they give off such hints of gladness, I would also say that they save me, and daily,

I am so distant from the hope of myself, in which I have goodness, and discernment, and never hurry through the world but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves And call out, “Stay awhile.” The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say, “and you too have come into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled with light, and to shine.”

”We give thanks for our community, the gift of this group, and for this sacred Abbey. May those who pray here be strengthened by the Holy Spirit to serve all who come, and to receive them as Christ Himself. In this sacred and prayerful space may all the suffering, violence, and confusion of the world encounter the Power that will console, renew and uplift the human spirit.

May this silence be a power to open our hearts to God, and so to each other, in love and peace. May the beauty of the divine life, fill this group and the hearts of all who pray here, with joyful hope. May all who come here weighed down by the problems of humanity leave giving thanks for the blessing of human life. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. AMEN.”

About Christian Meditation in Romsey and The World Christian Community for Meditation: See link for information on contact details and times: