Sally Walters, Contact for Nailsea Meditation Group Team writes:
I feel ‘full to the brim’, overflowing with thankfulness for our pilgrimage. Our Bishop and missional priest for youth and young adults, instigated this annual exciting experience inviting young people between the ages of 19 – 29. I work in a wellbeing role with clergy, including other aspects of the diocese that would benefit from some psychological input.
Being older, rather than young, though the criterion was to be young at heart, I went as a leader and for the first time managed living in a tent and enjoyed camping, walking the distance to the showers/toilets, and lining up in crowds for the very basic but adequate food offered. Erecting the tent was my challenge, however, as with most new experiences at Taizé, joint ventures were part of the experience, helping each other and living alongside in community, regardless of age, denomination or culture. Taizé attracts young people from all over the world. It was fun!
Taizé was founded by Brother Roger Schutz (1915-2005) in Taizé, created for reconciliation after World War II. Taizé has become one of the world’s most important sites of Christian pilgrimage, with a focus on youth. It combines a prayerful form of music which is rich and simple, with contemplative meditation and elements of the church’s liturgy of the hours.
I am still hearing the resounding bells of Taizé in my inner self, that call to worship. I ask regularly how can I continue something of this devout pattern in my daily life which includes stopping in prayer and worshiping three times a day? As we recognise silence as prayer, singing the Taizé chants also is prayer. St Augustine said, ‘to sing is to pray twice’. With these words in mind, I have Taizé music in my car and focus with delight on the repetitive phrases with deep meaning. Although we recognise many forms of valid prayer, our daily time with God can easily turn into a task and then we feel guilty for not achieving our goal. I find the chants can entwine with meditative silence to help me be open to receive the power of the Holy Spirit.
We entered new and deep relationships, community living, a daily spiritual rhythm providing teaching, profound worship three times a day with up to 3,000 people with glorious harmonious voices and periods of focused silence. The space set aside for open mic performances, cool drinks and ice cream gave a different sort of relaxation.
We all were assigned to working tasks. I washed up very large cooking pans, washed floors daily with a group of Germans and we laughed and laughed. I was thankful for a study group with members from Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands. The Brothers teaching for all ages was insightful and inspiring, providing a fresh view of scripture authentically applied to this complex life.
I was honoured to join the listening team receiving streams of young people seeking insight and God’s guidance for their lives and prayer was offered. The vastness of the worship space was as large as the experience left in my heart. I am left feeling even younger in my spirit! Above all, this specific form of worship allows us to slow down and enables us to focus on God.
The Taizé song, Let all who are thirsty come, let all who wish receive the water of life freely seems to sum up for me the week’s deep infilling in many ways.
Sally Walters