When we embark on an inner workshop to foster our spiritual formation, silence and solitude are part of the rule of prayer we set out for ourselves. We seek to find some time during the day – even if it only for a few moments – to sit quietly, gently clear our mind, look at an icon or something inspirational, and possibly use a centering word such as “Jesus,” “gentleness,” or another word that has deep meaning for us.
In doing this we try to establish set times so the day does not sweep away these essential periods that center us and bring us home to God and ourselves. However, we also need to look for the crumbs of “alonetime” (time in solitude or within ourselves when we are in a group) outside of these periods. It may be a short walk at noon, when we are sipping a cup of coffee or tea alone in our office or kitchen, or during a drive home. The possibilities are endless, as are the places we can seek out: corners of libraries, churches, small city parks, a nearby forest preserve, or a jogging path. If we have a value system that savors some silence in our lives, the crumbs of alonetime can be quite nourishing. But we have to find them.
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