The Power of Silence and Solitude Practices (Walking and Talking Spirituality #10)

Arthur Schopenhauer observed, “Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world.”

Schopenhauer’s words are powerful because they remind us of our high capacity for self-deception and for misunderstanding the world around us…

We all limit ourselves (often unconsciously) through beliefs, patterns, and values that if someone else voiced them we’d immediately recoil. Some of these block the work of God’s grace in our lives and leave us stuck and frustrated.

How can we gain the self-awareness to open ourselves up fully to the work that God desires in our lives? How do we open ourselves up to the expansive and abundant life that God promises?...

I’ve found that intentional practices of silence and solitude are critical…

There are two practice in particular that serve as the foundation for my rule of life: centering prayer and journaling.

Virtually every morning, I practice the prayer of silence (Centering Prayer) for at least 20 minutes. I’ve been doing centering prayer for 4-5 years in shorter blocks of time but have committed to a full 20 minutes for over a year now. It’s been transformative.

If you aren’t familiar with centering prayer, here is a link to my YouTube Playlist on Centering Prayer: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzah82ipRosZFW9XZGN2Cb9ZBUOW8zYTP

I also advocate a intentional journaling practice.

Mine include three elements:

1. In the morning, I write down five things for which I’m grateful. I’m specific and try to “feel” emotion as I write down my gratitude list. 
2. I then listen carefully to my body. Do I feel any discomfort or anxiety? I try to write about whatever it is that I think is bothering me. This gets my thoughts and feelings down on paper. This process has slowly unearthed much junk and poor thinking. 
3. At night, I write down at least three “wins” that I experienced during the day. There is always some takeaway or accomplishment if you look carefully. This is true even on the “bad” days. 

What practices help you to live expansively as God’s ambassadors of abundance?