Dear reader,
Seven of us, from the South and South-West, most ably guided by Liz Watson and Mark Ball, dropped anchor over the weekend of 19—21st April at the beautiful haven of Wistaston Hall Retreat Centre, Crewe. The seemingly constant rain of previous weeks was temporarily forgotten.
Here we shared ways to invite others to join Christian meditation groups and to enable them to best practice their meditation. There were practical sessions on how to present Christian meditation to various groups, such as to young people and to churches together. Our common, and frequent, failings in meditation, for example the distractions of our minds, filled as it were with the fun and noise of the fair, were lovingly acknowledged. They may become part of the way by which we learn to meditate better. We are not looking for perfection, rather for fidelity. Trust the process of meditation as we have received it. The fruits will grow in their own time.
Our minds moved through various images, illustrations such as meditation is like paddling a canoe towards the horizon — each stroke representing a repetition of our mantra. We are always heading towards the horizon, no matter how good or bad the current river-side view. Keep paddling, keep saying your mantra. For this metaphor and for so many more those of us present give thanks.
Indeed, throughout the weekend we were well-fed with marvellous food: in the dining room (e.g. fabulous fish pie and vegetables), in the conference room (chewing over Jesus teaching on prayer), and in the chapel (Mark’s contemplative liturgy). Remarkably, too, the sun seemed to shine for the duration. For the rain, the pain, still in our hearts came the comfort offered by a meditation group, the encouragement of teachers, past masters such as Dorotheos of Gaza and Evagrius of Pontus, and the gentle healing of God that may come through meditation.
All this Spirit-filled laughter & comfort & wisdom & friendship — to be digested and released slowly throughout many places over subsequent days, weeks. . . — settled us together at the more leisurely pace of our hearts. Wonderful preparation for the many times we simply sat as a community of beginners once more to say our mantra.
And after our closing Eucharist, in words of Mark’s liturgy: ‘We could say more, but we could never say enough. Let the last word be this, God is all.’
Wish you were here
John Rhodes