Pages tagged "Gathered Meeting"

It is surprising to me that so few Friends do sports. For me, doing a sport and going to Quaker meeting are of the same intention and compulsion. If I don’t do something physical for a few days, my body hurts. If I don’t center regularly into meditation, either in a group or by myself, I feel out of sorts. For me, Quaker meeting and sports are both essential parts of an authentic life.

Recently, I visited Herndon Friends Meeting in northern Virginia. (I live in Culver City, California, and am Clerk of Santa Monica Friends Meeting). My wife and I were visiting two of our granddaughters, and I skipped away to attend worship.

Dear Friends: What are the stages of silent worship which lead to the unity of a Collected or Gathered Meeting? The first stage is Settling into Worship, though not so comfortably that one has a hard time keeping awake. Focus on what is going on within, rather than distractions. This is known as Centering and includes awareness of similarly minded worshippers.