Silence supports the emotional and spiritual health of each of us. In a world providing endless activity, noise, and distraction, tuning all of that out and tapping into what's most important in our hearts can be a welcome, even necessary, retreat. Quakers believe that when we are silent, allowing all of the outer world’s distractions to fall away, we can truly hear the wisdom that we each possess.
Silence also supports the health of our community. Increasingly, studies are confirming that self-awareness through meditative silence creates physical and psychological benefits. It can lead to a healthy mindfulness, allowing us to calmly acknowledge and accept our feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. We see the positive benefits in our classrooms every day.
At our School, we are committed to the work of building a community of trust, care, acceptance, and celebration of all kinds of difference. In order to fully open ourselves to celebrating others, we must first celebrate and know ourselves. Practicing silence allows that opportunity. Through marked times of silence purposefully built into our daily and weekly schedules, we spend time with ourselves while we sit with others. It allows us time to focus on the joy and love that surround us and appreciate the ways in which we are all connected.