“Every soul innately yearns for stillness, for a space, a garden where we can till, sow, reap, and rest, and by doing so come to a deeper sense of self and our place in the universe. Silence is not an absence but a presence. Not an emptiness but repletion A filling up.”
In this quote by Anne LeClaire, she emphasizes the importance of stillness and silence in finding inner peace and understanding one's place in the universe. LeClaire suggests that true fulfillment comes from finding a space where one can reflect, work, and ultimately find rest. Silence, according to her, is not merely the absence of noise but a presence that fills us up and allows us to connect with our deeper selves.
In today's fast-paced and chaotic world, the idea of finding stillness and silence may seem like a foreign concept. However, Anne LeClaire's words remind us of the innate human desire for moments of peace and reflection. In the midst of our busy lives, it is essential to make time for solitude and introspection in order to cultivate a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the universe.
In this quote, Anne LeClaire reflects on the importance of stillness and silence in our lives. She emphasizes the idea that silence is not just an absence of noise, but a presence that allows us to connect with ourselves and our surroundings on a deeper level. Let's explore some examples of how we can incorporate stillness into our daily lives:
Meditation: Taking time each day to sit in silence and clear our minds can help us find inner peace and clarity.
Nature walks: Spending time in nature and listening to the sounds of the earth can be a great way to experience stillness and reconnection.
Journaling: Writing in a journal can provide a space for reflection and self-discovery, allowing us to explore our thoughts and emotions in a quiet, contemplative way.
By embracing stillness and silence, we can cultivate a sense of presence and mindfulness in our lives, leading to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the world.
As we reflect on the quote by Anne LeClaire about the power of stillness and silence in finding a deeper sense of self, it's important to consider how these concepts play a role in our lives. Here are some questions to guide your reflection:
“Then don’t fall.” He caught her close and offered a teasing smile. “Trip a little and I’ll catch you.”
“...Feeling like your life's been ripped apart and put together again, only put together wrong.”
“Everyone, from almost every tradition, agrees on five things. Rule 1: We are all family. Rule 2: You reap exactly what you sow, that is, you cannot grow tulips from zucchini seeds. Rule 3: Try to breathe every few minutes or so. Rule 4: It helps beyond words to plant bulbs in the dark of winter. Rule 5: It is immoral to hit first. [pp.313-314]”
“I believe in an individual soul which travels through eternity. This life is far from all there is--in fact, it is a minute part, simply an antechamber, a deciding place where we choose the light from the dark, where we come to know what we truly value.”
“I did not know I was on a search for passionate aliveness. I only knew I was lonely and lost and that something was drawing me deeper beneath the surface of my life in search of meaning. There is a hunger in people to go to those deep depths; to know that our lives are sacred; that our hearts are truly capable of love. It is a yearning to be all the we can be. A longing for what is real.”
“The decisions we make and the way we behave are what ultimately shape our character. Charles A. Hall aptly described that process in these lines: "We sow our thoughts, and we reap our actions; we sow our actions, and we reap our habits; we sow our habits, and we reap our characters; we sow our characters, and we reap our destiny”