Saturday, March 23, 2019

March 23
         We attended an inspiring discussion this morning at the Quaker meeting house, on the subject of ‘birth and rebirth’. There were only four of us, but our words were insightful and uplifting for me. I felt a closeness and sincerity that I haven’t often felt with a group.  One of the Quaker practices that helped us was the habit of occasional silence. Several times today, after one of us had spoken, we were silent for 20 - 30 seconds, which gave all of us a chance to both take in what had been said and allow some new thoughts to arise in us. I told Cia on the way home that I have rarely taken part in a discussion where that kind of voluntary, creative silence happened – and it would not have happened this morning if we all hadn’t had experience with ‘the Quaker way’, as it’s often referred to. Silence is welcomed as a very powerful force among Quakers. 

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