The Big Silence

[Dawid Dahl]

Hello! Here's a video recommendation for anyone interested. This BBC show is called The Big Silence and came out in 2010.

 

Abbot Christopher Jamison, a Benedictine monk, believes that he can teach five ordinary people the value of silent meditation, so they can make it part of their everyday lives. He sets up a three-month experiment to test out whether the ancient Christian tradition of silence can become part of modern lives.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5AhtmlL81U

 

Here's a random screenshot I took while watching, heh.

 

 

(I don't know if anyone of you saw the popular 2005 show called "The Monastery", where Christopher Jamison similarly brought 5 people to his monastery Worth Abbey to see what happened. Here's the link to that show.)

[Balder]

Very interesting.  I've watched the first part so far.  I almost entered this lifestyle, years ago -- geeky librarian-like man that I am!  I'm interested to see how this turns out for them (most of whom seem overwhelmed and confused so far).

[Mary W.]

Hi David --

 

I'm a big fan of silence -- I practice centering prayer (a form of silent contemplative prayer) twice a day, and I volunteer with Contemplative Outreach, the organization founded by Fr. Thomas Keating, which offers workshops, formation, and retreats (from 2 to 10 days, mostly in silence) to teach this method of prayer / meditation. I facilitate a group that meets weekly at a Catholic church to pray silently together and to share experiences, insights, struggles, etc. -- usually there is also a book that we are reading together, which we discuss. (Right now we're reading Richard Rohr's The Naked Now).

Interesting that that this monk "sets up a three-month experiment to test out whether the ancient Christian tradition of silence can become part of modern lives" -- makes it sound as if he is the first one to attempt such a challenge -- but perhaps that's largely a marketing blurb. Beyond churches and monastic communities, there are various international contemplative Christian organizations that teach "ordinary" folks methods of silent prayer and that host silent retreats for non-monastic lay people -- some which have been doing so for the past four decades or so. I guess the difference with Jamison's "experiment," though, is that his subjects are not necessarily seekers, members of a faith community, or people who already consider themselves spiritual. I've only viewed the first 15-minute segment, and so far it looks like the 5 people get plopped into silence and monastic routines without much preparation -- in "sink or swim" style -- not an approach I would have chosen! But thanks for the link. I'm curious to see what happens. :)

 

 

 

 

[Dawid Dahl]

"I practice centering prayer (a form of silent contemplative prayer) twice a day, and I volunteer with Contemplative Outreach, the organization founded by Fr. Thomas Keating, which offers workshops, formation, and retreats (from 2 to 10 days, mostly in silence) to teach this method of prayer / meditation. I facilitate a group that meets weekly at a Catholic church to pray silently together and to share experiences, insights, struggles, etc. -- usually there is also a book that we are reading together, which we discuss. (Right now we're reading Richard Rohr's The Naked Now)."

 

Awesome to hear! I would love some instructions on Centering Prayer. I've set up a discussion here, it'd be awesome if you could explain it a little for me. 

 

"I'm a big fan of silence"

 

Yes, me too! :P And it seems we're not alone. I found this page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Silence/69197965128 :P

 

"but perhaps that's largely a marketing blurb"

 

Yeah, I think so. Cristopher Jamison appears to be a pretty humble guy in most respects, and I'm quite sure it wasn't his intent to appear boldly pioneer:ish. Oftentimes you just need to create a bit of hype to grab people's attention, I guess. 

 

Looking forward to hearing your reactions when you've finished watching the programme.

[Balder]

I watched the whole program yesterday evening and really enjoyed it.  I did have some mixed reactions to some of the content, which I'll explain below, but I thought the documentary was well-made and quite moving in places.

 

On the positive side, one of the things I appreciated about the movie was just what Mary mentioned, the unpreparedness of the participants for what they were about to experience.  It could have been a disaster, but it wasn't, and I was moved by the process that each participant went through, as they struggled with silence, with the setting, and with themselves, slowing opening and slowing and softening in their own ways.  My wife came in to the room and found me crying at one point, because I had been moved by what had just happened for one of the participants, and she ended up watching the rest of the film with me to see what had made me get all teary.  I also appreciated just the general "taste" of Benedictine and Jesuit "retreat" life the film provided (and found myself thinking: if these people are having a hard time with this, they should try a 10-day vipassana or Zen retreat!).

 

On the negative side, I thought Abbot Jamison seemed to be fetishizing silence -- at least, that's how it came across to me.  I also felt, as an outsider, that some of the interpretations or bits of guidance were a little, I don't know, manipulative.  I realize the retreatants were participating in Christian programs, but it still seemed like some of the experiences that were arising were being "appropriated" by the interpreters in a way that struck me as manipulative.  I guess that's probably just the nature of the game (and certainly isn't unique or confined to Christian retreats).

[Dawid Dahl]

"On the negative side, I thought Abbot Jamison seemed to be fetishizing silence -- at least, that's how it came across to me.  I also felt, as an outsider, that some of the interpretations or bits of guidance were a little, I don't know, manipulative."

 

Heh, yeah. I know what you mean. Also did you notice in the last part where he almost got a bit upset that, even though everyone felt they had opened up spiritually, almost none of them were willing to accept the general Christian dogma? Thought that was a bit interesting. As if all this was actually secretly designed to convert the participants. A hidden agenda kind of thing.

 

"My wife came in to the room and found me crying at one point, because I had been moved by what had just happened for one of the participants, and she ended up watching the rest of the film with me to see what had made me get all teary."

 

!!

 

Which part was that? The businessman?

[Balder]

Dawid:  Heh, yeah. I know what you mean. Also did you notice in the last part where he almost got a bit upset that, even though everyone felt they had opened up spiritually, almost none of them were willing to accept the general Christian dogma? Thought that was a bit interesting. As if all this was actually secretly designed to convert the participants. A hidden agenda kind of thing.

Yes, I picked up on that too.  Maybe he's a bit conflicted about it, himself.  He commented that this exercise was a learning experience for him, too, as he came to see how many (ordinary modern) people currently view his faith.

Dawid:  !!  Which part was that? The businessman?

It was when the atheist woman had the experience on the hillside.  Her description of the event -- the clarity, the appreciation for the awesomeness of the universe, the sense of well-being -- matched closely some of my own experiences.  But I also was moved by the business man's experience, especially when he went in the hilltop chapel by himself and got choked up when reading the psalm, and later when he recalled the love of his mother.

[Dawid Dahl]

"Maybe he's a bit conflicted about it, himself."

 

Good catch. I guess a good but shadowy way to remove doubt from one's mind is by forcing others into becoming believers of whatever it is that one is in doubt about.

 

"It was when the atheist woman had the experience on the hillside.  Her description of the event -- the clarity, the appreciation for the awesomeness of the universe, the sense of well-being -- matched closely some of my own experiences."

 

Yeah. Of the five participants I also felt I resonated the most with this woman. She, and to some extent the businessman, I feel had/has the most potential for deeper spiritual growth, if one is allowed to call it such. 

[Mary W.]

Dawid -- I'll be back in a couple of days with more to say. In the middle of a busy week at the moment!

Thanks -- Mary