Unity in Silence

We are so grateful for each of you who have joined us for the Wednesday Contemplative Prayer Sit. If you've been with us just once or take part regularly, each of you is a gift to Gravity. Together we are forming a new "we." We thought you would appreciate this article by Chris Heuertz published at Duke. Together we can do good better. And it begins in Sacred Silence and continues one breath at a time. To help get the word out about Gravity, we'd love it if you would share this article with your networks via email and/or social media. We look forward to being with you anytime you can do the sacred work of building unity through silence. ps. Since we've had such high attendance lately and at times run out of seats, if you have a meditation cushion, would you consider bringing it with you for your personal use? Thanks so much!         Unity in Silence by Chris Heuertz at Duke Divinity's Faith and Leadership They come each Wednesday afternoon at 4 o'clock. Quietly. Undramatically. Some enter in silence and leave in silence, some barely uttering more than a polite greeting and brief word of parting. As a gesture of reverence, a few folks take their shoes off outside the door, slipping them back on as they make their way. It's always an eclectic group that gathers -- an occasional Buddhist, versions of Christians, sometimes a Hindu, even quite a few nonreligious people show up. All of them care deeply about their spirituality. All of them value the mysteries only discovered in silence. They travel from all over the city to join us at Gravity: A Center for Contemplative Activism for a 20-minute contemplative prayer sit. Some of them actually spend more time driving to get to the center than we spend sharing in our brief contemplative pause, but the draw to meditate in community is worth the journey. There are quite a few regulars, while it seems each week we always have at least one or two newcomers. All are welcome. I'm always surprised at who shows up. Surprised that so many people would go out of their way to stop. To pause. To clear their minds and open their hearts. What's even more surprising is the small community that has formed around these short moments of silence. Frequently, you will find a very traditional and conservative Catholic priest sitting across from an LGBT-affirming Episcopal bishop, or perhaps it's a preacher from the Southern Baptist suburban megachurch seated beside the progressive theologian from the nearby Jesuit university. Clergy from various Christian traditions and denominations who normally would be divided by doctrine and belief come together in unity. Through their words they would find plenty to disagree on, but silence brings them into a new kind of communion, forming a new kind of community. I have spent most of my life bringing people together around ideas, causes, events, meals, social justice initiatives and a number of other meaningful opportunities. It has been a value of mine to nurture extremely diverse groups of conversation partners, forming all kinds of seemingly incompatible communities and unlikely social circles. But the group that meets on Wednesdays is unique. What is it about silence that allows uncommon people to find common ground?   Read full article here.   Donate Now

Gravity, a Center for Contemplative Activism exits to nurture the integral connection between mysticism and activism. Gravity grounds social engagement in Christian contemplative spirituality, to do good better by offering contemplative retreats, spiritual direction and pilgrimage to places of religious significance as well as places marked by profound pain and hope.

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Bread

Our daily bread.

To eat, to share.
Prepared for us, with
such great care.
Forgive us all our trespasses here.
Give thanks for all as we
draw near, on this, our 
journey homeward bound.

A reflection on Hemingway's short story titled “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”

I see words without works.  I see routines.  I see people in a rush.
I see myself when I was young.  I relate as older now.
I wish for quietness and calm to slow down.   To witness to
the Love of God in our world.  It is everywhere! 
I see clean on the outside but not so clean on the inside.
I see myself.   I see others.   I see hope.   I see melancholy feelings.
I see nothing new.   I wish for balance, to understand, to not
be hurt.   I wish for Love without risk, to fear nothing, to know
I belong.  At once,  I realize  I am gone,  not there,  I see now
more,  how beautiful.  Where am I? +

No Answers

Oh So many words come to mind when I reflect on my recent retreat.
The inaugural contemplative retreat for “Gravity – A center for contemplative
Activism”.   Words and phrases, such as, “Solitude”, “Commitment to relationship”, “Who are you?”, “Connect with God”, “Pain and Joy”, and “Embracing Humanity”.  

 “Solitude”, what does that mean?  To be alone?  Or to rest in God? 

No, I will not and cannot answer.  The answer is found in the voice of our soul.

 “Commitment to relationship”, what does that mean?  To Others?  Or

To God?  No, I will not and cannot answer.  The answer is in the love “for”
and “of” God and the desire to consent to God’s will. 

 “Who are you?” , what does that mean?  Defined by you? Or Defined by God?

No, I will not and cannot answer.  The answer is found in scripture’s command
“Love thy neighbor as thy self”. 

 “Connecting with God”, what does that mean? Our God?, Your God? Or My God?

No, I will not and cannot answer.  The answer is found in the “in dwelling” of the
Holy Spirit and the “Ears” of our soul.  

 “Pain and Joy”,  what does that mean? Jesus’ Pain? Or  Our pain?

No, I will not and cannot answer.  The answer is found in God’s love for us.

 “Embracing Humanity”, what does that mean?  Changing Humanity? Or Changing

Ourselves?  No, I will not and cannot answer.  Like “Commitment to relationship”,
the answer is in the love “for” and “of” God and the desire to consent to God’s will. 

 As you see,  I have no answers only questions.   Questions such as:

Where would we be without the Love of God?  No, I will not and cannot
Answer.  The answer is found in your prayer, my prayer And our prayer. +

Thanksgiving

Thankful for the morning light,
A shoe to wear,
A coat for warmth,
Thankful for the brisk day air,
To breathe it in,
To breathe it out,
Thankful for the morning meal,
Enough for us to share,
To care, 
Thankful for the new day given,
For work to do,
A place to go,
Thankful for both you and I,
Given here,
From God Above.+      

Faith

So be it,
to us,
as Jesus spoke,
your faith to heal you,
for us to know,  
as we are saved,
our Faith to be,
a gift for now,
to pass along,
our savior Jesus,
keep us strong,
no better gift,
for our heart's song.+

God's Love and Grace

See God’s Love in the Stars of the sky.

See God’s Grace in the Love of the stars.

Hear God’s Love in the Laugher of a Child.

Hear God’s Grace in the love of laughter.

Taste God’s Love in the beauty of Nature.

Taste God’s Grace in the love of beauty.

 

Touch God’s Love in the voice of your soul.

Touch God’s Grace in the love of your Lord.

Smell God’s Love in the Leaves of Autumn.

Smell God’s Grace in the breath of Autumn Air.

 

Love God’s Love for you and for I.

Love God’s Grace for you and for I.