Good Evening Dear Family !
Welcome to the quiet zone!
It's time for another online retreat weekend! This weekend I encourage you to join with me in taking time to journey into silence. Let this be my gift to you as you enter sacred space. For the next few days I'm going to be using one of the action steps from my Cancer Survivorship Plan called IThrive!
This one is called "Healing sounds of Silence"
Here is the overview:
From the IThrivePlan
Overview
Do you live a loud lifestyle? When was the last time you sat in silence, drove in silence or just spent the day without television, radio or even conversation? Have you become so accustomed to background noise that when it’s not there, you search it out? Perhaps the most important question of all: What does all this noise do to your health even if it’s not harming your hearing?
When we think of dangerous noise, we think of loud sounds like jet engines or rock concerts that can harm our hearing. However, the scientific research is finding that even low-level noises can negatively impact our physical, mental and cognitive health. A 2003 report in the British Medical Bulletin links non-hearing-related effects of noise to insomnia, impaired learning and cognitive performance, heart disease and psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression.
We understand that not all noise is bad. But when the noise in our lives becomes incessant and pervasive, it can cause disharmony and imbalance. That’s why reducing noise “pollution” can positively impact mental and physical health. So that’s what this Action Step is all about.
Week at a glance
During this Action Step you will be asked to assess the noise level in your life and then you will be given ways to embrace silence. That’s right, this week you’ll make some noise about the healing sounds of silence.
Science
Too much noise exposure can have non-auditory negative health implications that can range from increased anxiety and depression to cardiovascular and cognitive issues. This Action Step also mentions that Nature has healing potential as well.Health Benefits
- Enhanced mental health
- Better sleep
- Improved overall wellness
If you are interested in the book this program is based on here it is!
The Definitive Guide to Thriving After Cancer: A Five-Step Integrative Plan to Reduce the Risk of Recurrence and Build Lifelong Health (Alternative Medicine Guides) by
So let's begin! Tonight we are definitely turning of the electronics for a space and yet, I know that is going to be a challenge for some of us because we can't get enough of Fox News, Bloomberg, MSNBC, and CNN just to name a few. We must do this as a way to return ourselves to the selves that have gone missing for quite awhile. In this time of quiet it may be quite a challenge for each of us not to pick up the remote, cell phone, tablet, etc to see what's happening. I'm also encouraging a news fast for a space this weekend. We don't need all of the negativity to interfere with this time of healing. Our periods of silence will be set up like this:
Tomorrow's day will look like this!
From 9:00 a.m. till Noon -What do mornings sound like without TV?
From 3:00 p.m. till 6:00 p.m What does the outside sound like without having iTunes on?
From 9:00 p.m. till Midnight What can I do to wind down and meditate?
They are 3 hour suggested segments each with a focus
Don't forget to set up your quiet areas for silent time. We may go live but I haven't decided yet.
Tonight we enter into this time of silence with our Be Stills!
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Inhale slowly,
Hold
Exhale slowly,
Hold
Inhale slowly.
Hold
Exhale
Pause and repeat as long as you need to in order to find your happy place and begin to get in touch with your heart home.
Let us light a single candle as an awareness that we are to become God's beacons' of light as we pray and meet together and vigil in silence.
Let us pray in silence but before we do that let us un-clutter our minds, hearts and spirits.
Now let us sit and just be for a period of 10 minutes or time period of your choice in silence. Close your eyes, sit, and just be. Don't forget to begin to unwind your minds and empty all the junk in them and place them in the recycle bin.
Now it's time to go deeper and journey to the center of our inner being and spend a time of listening and conversation in with God and in God's presence.
Let us now be at prayer.
Dear God in the silence we hear your voice calling us to love, serve,and give thanks.
In the silence O God,we pray that peace will prevail upon this your fragile and broken world.
In the silence O God, help us to realize that wherever we plant our feet, take a breath, and live that is holy ground for a holy people.
In the silence we pray for all of our family members who are in need of healing of body, mind, and spirits.
In the silence, help us to be still and know that You are God.
In the silence, we pray for the needs of the least of these that we may come into their lives without fear but quietly, gently, and with compassion.
In the silence O God, listen for you walking in your Cathedral of Life at the time of the evening breeze.
In the silence O God, give us loving and joyful hearts that are enlivened and on fire for you!
In the silence O God, we give thanks for all of your goodness and mercy and offer our thanks______
In the silence O God we pray for the troubled areas of the world and for all refugees, captives, political prisoners, victims of human trafficking, and violence in its many forms.
In the silence O God, we pray for all who are mourning the losses of loved ones or any kind of loss. We pray that they may gradually accept silence as cleansing and healing and not something to run away from.
In the silence O God, help us to rely and put our trust in your love, grace, mercy, and inclusion.
In the silence O God, help us at this time of year to tune out all the unnecessary hype and consumerism the approaching holiday season brings. May we celebrate these holidays well and give us courage to put the true meanings of these holy and special days back into practice.
In the silence O God, we add our additional prayers for ourselves and on behalf of others especially____________
In the silence O God, we lift up these our prayers to your Only Son Jesus the Christ our redeemer, healer,reconciler, brother, master, and friend, Amen.
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Good Night dear family! Enjoy your time of silence. I hope that you will feel God's presence and my love for you across the miles. I love you and give God thanks for you always! Tomorrow we are going to find the sacredness of Saturdays as we practice self-care and Sabbath Rest.
Love, prayers, and blessings!
Sara
Now it's time to go deeper and journey to the center of our inner being and spend a time of listening and conversation in with God and in God's presence.
Let us now be at prayer.
Dear God in the silence we hear your voice calling us to love, serve,and give thanks.
In the silence O God,we pray that peace will prevail upon this your fragile and broken world.
In the silence O God, help us to realize that wherever we plant our feet, take a breath, and live that is holy ground for a holy people.
In the silence we pray for all of our family members who are in need of healing of body, mind, and spirits.
In the silence, help us to be still and know that You are God.
In the silence, we pray for the needs of the least of these that we may come into their lives without fear but quietly, gently, and with compassion.
In the silence O God, listen for you walking in your Cathedral of Life at the time of the evening breeze.
In the silence O God, give us loving and joyful hearts that are enlivened and on fire for you!
In the silence O God, we give thanks for all of your goodness and mercy and offer our thanks______
In the silence O God we pray for the troubled areas of the world and for all refugees, captives, political prisoners, victims of human trafficking, and violence in its many forms.
In the silence O God, we pray for all who are mourning the losses of loved ones or any kind of loss. We pray that they may gradually accept silence as cleansing and healing and not something to run away from.
In the silence O God, help us to rely and put our trust in your love, grace, mercy, and inclusion.
In the silence O God, help us at this time of year to tune out all the unnecessary hype and consumerism the approaching holiday season brings. May we celebrate these holidays well and give us courage to put the true meanings of these holy and special days back into practice.
In the silence O God, we add our additional prayers for ourselves and on behalf of others especially____________
In the silence O God, we lift up these our prayers to your Only Son Jesus the Christ our redeemer, healer,reconciler, brother, master, and friend, Amen.
Pray for peace (From the Book of Common Prayer)
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the
sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love:
So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered
under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father;
to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen
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Good Night dear family! Enjoy your time of silence. I hope that you will feel God's presence and my love for you across the miles. I love you and give God thanks for you always! Tomorrow we are going to find the sacredness of Saturdays as we practice self-care and Sabbath Rest.
Love, prayers, and blessings!
Sara
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