Sitting with the Quakers in silent worship one morning, I found a way to settle down into the silence that helped me. It’s like a song with three verses – you can repeat each verse as many times as you like until you reach the right mental state. Chant aloud or silently – it’s up to you. If you try this, I’d love to hear how it worked for you.
breathe in while saying or thinking,
I rest
breathe out while saying or thinking,
I give thanks
(repeat as many times as needed to give yourself grace for this process)
breathe in while saying or thinking,
I give thanks and open
breathe out while saying or thinking,
I wait and listen
(repeat as many times as needed to begin to clear the mind)
breathe in while saying or thinking,
I wait and listen
breathe out while saying or thinking,
(silence)
(repeat as many times as needed to stay in this listening state)