In my Homily reflections about Prayer and Lazarus, (and again in 2020 in our reflections during a pandemic) I had suggested that as Catholics we have a real need to be able to listen to the voice of God – which is increasingly difficult in this noisy modern world and our hectic lifestyles.
Just suggesting that we need to spend 15 minutes a day, each day, every day in Solitude, Stillness and Silence doesn’t necessarily help us achieve that goal. So what follows are some suggestions on how to get started …….
First and foremost, we need to find a place of Solitude – to be alone and away from the noise of life, and from interruptions. So that means no TV, cell phones, radio, iPods and MP3 players. Finding a place where you can literally be alone with your thoughts. And letting those around you know you are unavailable for the next 10 or 15 minutes. The place very much depends on you – but I would suggest not sitting in the living room and telling everyone else in the house to be quiet and leave you alone ! So, once you have found a place of Solitude, then make yourself comfortable. Sitting on a chair that provides comfortable support is always a good choice. You don’t need to stand, or kneel … God is very flexible. Be comfortable. You might want to say a little prayer at this point. Nothing fancy – perhaps “Lord, help me be still and hear your voice.
We then try to achieve a degree of Stillness. What does that mean? For most of us, this is the most difficult part. Thoughts will constantly invade our minds, everything from the grocery list to arranging an oil change for the car. Our minds will wander. The trick here is not to focus on the invading thought, but rather, when you become aware that your mind wandered – just let the thought go. It will come back later in the day. No need to hang on to it. Now, some forms of stillness-seeking have you clear your mind …. and I admire those people who can empty their mind and just sit in stillness. For me, rather than focus on ‘nothingness’, I find it helpful to give my mind a small task – perhaps focusing on my breathing, or my pulse, Perhaps for you it might be looking at a lit candle. Or an icon. Or a flower. It really doesn’t matter as long as it is something small and simple.
Finally, we come to Silence. That is usually relatively easy – but if you have young children (or grandchildren) then finding that place of Solitude should remove you from the interruption of noise and sounds.
What can you expect when you try to listen to God?
Well, the first few times, it may seem a bit contrived and artificial. You may find that 10 minutes is all you can manage. The key here is to be gentle with yourself. With practice you will find the process becomes not only more comfortable, but also richer in its insights.
How do you know when the Holy Spirit is pulling at your heartstrings? Well, I suspect God is not to concerned about your task list, so if the thoughts about all the things you planned to do that day enters your mind, you can most likely let that thought go. If however, you mind wanders onto perhaps an encounter you had in the day, or a favourite passage of scripture, or a favourite hymn, or the morning sunrise, then let your mind explore that thought. Don’t worry if you have many fleeting thoughts – again, it will all unfold for you – so be gentle with yourself. At the end of the 15 minutes, I would suggest a very brief prayer. Thank You, God. is really all you need…. but say whatever prayer you feel moved to say.
Are there other forms of reflective prayer? Absolutely! Another very fruitful meditation is called the “Consciousness Examen”. And “Lectio Divina” is also a powerful form of reflective prayer as well. I will post some suggestions on how to use these as part of your daily prayer life at a later time.
So – enjoy your time of Solitude, Stillness and Silence ! And remember to be gentle with yourself 🙂