Quiet! Be still!
Yesterday I had the good fortune of visiting a centre for the rehabilitation of persons. I was there to give a class on Christian Meditation for the World Wide Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM). On entering the compound 15 minutes early for my class, I was asked to take a seat on one of a line of chairs. However, there was a little dog that had greeted me with ferocious barks and growls, that had now placed itself below the nearest chair.
I was cautious. As I tentatively approached the chairs it started to growl menacingly. The security person, who had let me into the compound, shouted ‘Be Quiet!’. His angry command had an effect on the dog, which now quieted itself, but still looked at me suspiciously. As I made the furthest detour to get to another chair I thought of this week’s Gospel narrative Mark 4: 39 ‘They woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea ‘Quiet! Be Still!’
Fifteen minutes later, on being invited to go to the class, I got up tentatively, the dog was still there. As I moved towards the steps it reassumed its barks and growls and made subtle moves at if it would come at me. I proceeded carefully looking at it from the corner of my eyes. It did not approach but continued to bark incessantly. Seated at the front of the class, I looked at the fifteen men looking at me expectantly. I reflected that they also were experiencing internal agitation.
It is not just the rough sea of this week’s Gospel that threatens us but also the turbulence within our hearts and minds. The dog, in its anxious state, was a small mirror of the inner turmoil that many of us face. As I began the class, I encouraged the men to focus on their breath and to find a place of stillness within, just as Jesus calmed the stormy sea.
We all carry our own storms, but through Christian Meditation and faith, we can find a deep and abiding peace. The rest of the session flowed smoothly, and by the end, there was a palpable sense of calm in the room, as if the inner seas of each person had been gently stilled.
As in the Gospel, there are times in our lives that Jesus may seem to be asleep, on a cushion, in the stern of our small barque. Probably we have not be communicating with Him. We have not invited Him to play an active part in our daily living. We have let Him alone while we go on with our lives. It is at these times that violent qualls come upon us and waves break over our boat so that it is already filling up.
It is in these moments of turmoil that we are reminded to call upon Him. Just as the disciples did, we must awaken our faith and invite Jesus into the center of our struggles. By acknowledging His presence and seeking His guidance, we can navigate through the tempests of life.
The men in the class listened to this truth: that through regular practice of Christian Meditation, they could cultivate a constant awareness of God's presence. This awareness would serve as their anchor, providing stability amidst life's inevitable storms. As we ended the session, there was a renewed sense of hope and determination among the men, a belief that with Jesus at the helm, they could weather any storm.
As I approached the bottom of the stairs, I saw the dog lying by the closest chair. It looked up at me calmly. It rested its head back on its paws. Surprisingly, it also was now at peace. I wondered if its earlier agitation was a message from God, a reminder of the restlessness we all carry within us and the peace we seek.
Perhaps the dog’s calmness now mirrored the inner tranquility we had collectively achieved through meditation. In that moment, I felt a deep connection to the divine presence that permeates all living beings. It was a gentle affirmation that peace is always within reach, both for us and for the creatures we share this world with, if we only take the time to quiet our minds and invite serenity into our hearts.
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Thank you Andre. I agree with you. I believe the dog's change in demeanor may have been due to the group of us meditating. I also agree with your idea of the critical mass. We have to get to that tipping point, and soon.
What a great story, Deacon. Animals are very sensitive. It is very possible that the dog’s quiet demeanour was as a result of all of you meditating together in its vicinity.
I think there was a saying in Buddhist tradition that if a certain minority of people are meditating in the world, it will create world peace. We don’t need the whole world to meditate, just a critical mass.