I brought in this New Year 2008 with about 300 other people from around the country, and a few from around the world, in the Silence. All of us had spent the prior three days cultivating the Silence from early a.m. to late at night, with Dr. Michael Beckwith coaching us to “Love Life, Love God,” as we struggled to stay silent...not fall asleep...and remain focused. ( Dr. Michael Beckwith is most recently known for "The Secret," both in DVD and book format, and also is founder & spiritual director of Agape International Spiritual Center, Culver City, CA. For more, check out: http://www. agapelive.com).
The first day of this four-day retreat was the most challenging. That’s when we met people we’d never met before and wanted to socialize and interact...in the midst of the progam...at breakfast...lunch...at dinner...during breaks. For the first day and a half, Michael was pretty tolerant of infractions. But by the end of the second day, he was absolutely focused on us “Getting Silent.” Michael Beckwith, folks, is THE REAL DEAL! I’ve never met any spiritual or metaphysical leader, before meeting Michael, who was so committed to sharing his Secret and so passionately wanting us to enjoy what he enjoyed: The Silence.
“Love Life, Love God” was the mantra Michael chose for us to get, and stay, focused while we breathed in and out all day. Slowly...slowly...slowly...the interactions...the sign language...the note passing...all human interaction and contact ceased...after we all realized the seriousness of our quest and felt the impact of Michael’s persistence.
By Day Three, we were “Loving Life, Loving God.” We really were...In the Silence.
We began to see the external transformations in each other, as people moved more inward and into the Silence of their Being. So, on Dec. 31, 2007, we were all gearing up and getting ready for midnight, many of us wondering how it would feel for the first time in our adult lives...to not be dancing and screaming and partying as the old year gave way to the new!
But with someone as astute and practiced as Michael Beckwith and his wife, Rickie, we didn’t have to worry. The first two hours prior to the midnight hour, indeed up to 11:30 p. m, Rickie Beckwith led us in song, after beautiful song, filling us with music and joy and celebration of our Spirit. Michael coached us on claiming our Power. Then, just as beautifully...they moved us back into the Silence...just in time for midnight.
After that four-day retreat session in Rancho Palo Verdes, California, the Silence, and life as I know it, has never been the same. Now, I try to take the opportunity as often as I can...to go into the Silence...to renew my soul, connect to my Spirit...“Loving Life, Loving God.”
I also received a recent e-mail from one of my fellow retreatants, stating how often she, too, goes into the Silence and how the retreat also has left a lasting impression on her. I’m sure this is the story of all 300 attendees.
Staying in the Silence when you’re secluded from the world is one thing. But staying in this Silence when you’re in the midst of the world is another...unless you have a DETERMINED SPIRIT...AS I DISCOVERED tonight that I had.
I got home about 7 p.m. and instead of settling in with a glass of chardonnay to celebrate the end of a long week, I decided to watch television for about an hour...drink some tea...and then go into the Silence for an hour.
So at 8 p.m., I settled in... anticipating a quick refresh of my silently saying the mantra: “Love Life, Love God”...when just five minutes after I started, my normally quiet townhouse community was suffused with music.
I could not believe that my normally quiet neighbors would choose THIS moment to turn up their music...and want to enjoy THEIR FRIDAY NIGHT...with SONG!
HUH?
I tried to stay in the Silence, despite the music. It was a struggle for about 15 minutes...then...I got lost somewhere inside.
About 30 minutes into my meditation, I realized that there was absolutely NO sound...even in the distance. As suddenly as it had begun, the music had stopped. My neighbors had burned themselves out on the song (s), they probably were determined to hear to begin their Friday night.
After I moved out of the Silence, I smiled.
One small infraction from my neighbors...and a GIANT triumph for me!
“Be Still and Know...” Psalm 46:10
Namaste’,
Che’
1 comment:
JesMe has left a new comment on your post "About Hardship and Hard Times...":
Che ... another good blog re: The Challenge of Being Silent.The Psalm you used at the end is not only a Biblical song as the world Psalm is translated from the Hebrew, but the words of scripture were actually turned into a very moving song by a christian songwriter. The words go ... "Be Still and Know ... that I am GOD. Repeated three times with very moving musical notes. Three-part harmony, no instruments, purely beautiful acappela voices.
Post a Comment