"I didn't 'get' the silence thing to begin with. But now I do... and the silence has become my sanctuary too."
The Silence Sanctuary – Sunday Evenings, October to March
8.30 – 9 pm GMT ~ FREE, Audio only on Zoom
A weekly invitation to join myself and my husband, Martin, in the silence
Each week, one of us will open with a short guided welcome, and then after a period of silence and stillness, there will be a gentle guided closing.
How to get the most out of this experience
You may wish to spend 10 – 15 minutes before we start preparing your space, choosing somewhere warm and comfortable where you will not be disturbed. You may prefer to lie down or recline with your feet up, or choose a more traditional upright meditative position. There is no right or wrong way, and every time may feel different so trust your instincts and relax in a comfortable position.
- You may choose to have your eyes open or closed, or a mixture of both.
- A lighted candle can help give you a focus as well as a conducive ambience for quiet reflection.
- Having a journal and pen to hand can be useful to record any thoughts or realisations afterwards, and also a glass of water.
- Give yourself a tech free space. Other than the device you are using to connect to us in the Silence Sanctuary, it is essential to disconnect from all other devices and to turn off notifications. This will enable your brain rhythm to show down enough for the silence and stillness to suffuse you.
- Gentle stretching before we start. The more relaxed your body is, the easier it becomes to experience the power of the silence. Releasing tension by stretching or gentle shaking can help prepare your mind and body to receive the stillness.
What people have said…
“The stillness was so deep last night,and it just seems to be getting more so, the more I do it. I organise my Sunday’s around them now!”
“I felt like I had been bathed in sunlight.”
“That was so deep and magical, I loved it.”
“So peaceful.”
“Thank you, I feel so much more relaxed.”
“I look forward to these evenings every week now.”
If you are new to silence
Be gentle with your mind
The word ‘silence’ can sometimes be misleading. Being ‘in silence’ doesn’t necessarily mean the absence of all noise, either externally or internally. Sometimes, the mind can get very busy and ‘noisy’, especially in the first 10 minutes or so.
This is because we are often too busy during the day to process the thousands of thoughts that come into our awareness. Then, when we create some time to reflect, the unprocessed thoughts can come flooding in. The key here is to welcome them; allow them and give them space to pass through, which they will if there is no resistance. Slowly and sometimes imperceptibly, with the absence of any resistance… thoughts can fall away.
The same with your feelings
Taking time to rest in the stillness also gives us space to ‘be’ with situations that we may have rushed through. Just like with your thoughts, the silence will help you observe and be with them, giving them space to dissolve or illuminating where some extra attention is needed.
Silence most of all creates space for your inner wisdom to shine through, the space where realisations and solutions can arise.
Regular times in silence nourish your own direct experience of the source of this wisdom, helping you to feel more peaceful and centred.
From ‘The Proof that Silence Heals’ – by Azriel Reshel on Uplift
About Marion, Martin & Silence
Both Marion and Martin have a long and established silence practice. Together and separately we have attended a number of 10-day silent retreats and numerous shorter ones. The 10-day retreats were in complete silence with the exception of a daily 45-minute discourse with a retreat guide. No mobile phones, music, reading or activities to occupy the mind, only walks in nature and times of reflection.
These retreats were demanding on every level, there is nowhere to hide from the self in the silence. Eventually, the only option is to surrender and accept the invitation that silence offers… and what an invitation it is.
On the other side of external distractions and the internal ‘noise’ of our minds, there is the most profound and liberating peace and stillness waiting for us.
Even the smallest of doorways, short periods of time such as we are offering here, can be enough to have at least a toe-dip into the stillness and silence. With regular practice and commitment, the many profound benefits of being in the silence can compound into your very own sanctuary, a very precious resource for our current times.
Our experience of the gift of silence ultimately suffused our lives so profoundly that we wanted to share what we discovered with anyone who wanted to join us.
We are so grateful you are here, as we know that the power of a collective intention exponentially increases the depth and effects of the stillness.
Join us for half an hour of live silence on Zoom. Audio only. Free.
No need to register, simply use the link below and enter with your email address. We look forward to meeting you in the silence.
