""I thought I'd live a louder life... But silence called me deeper stillLike nothing else I know ever will" -Carrie Newcomer, Quaker singer-songwriter I didn't expect to experience this lesson so clearly the first time I visited a Quaker meeting. About 30 minutes into the shared silence-the community gathered in a circle, each person listening expectantly in their own way for the Spirit to move-someone stood, picked up a guitar, and began singing "This Little Light of Mine.""
""Before we were born, there was great silence, and after we die, we will return to great silence. So, it is good to spend time in silence together today in between." Ten years later, I still remember my astonishment at what arose out of that silence. I still remember the goosebumps. For Quakers-members of the Religious Society of Friends-silence isn't empty; it's a place to connect with the Divine. One of my early Quaker Friends, Jim, also left a lasting impression."
"When I invited him to share his personal story with my Psychology of Religion and Spirituality class, Jim said he'd be happy to do so-provided someone gave him a ride because he didn't own a car. As I pulled up to his house, I noticed his yard consisted entirely of vegetables and native plants. As thanks for the ride, when Jim entered my car, he offered me a big bag of freshly picked kale from his front yard, something he said he regularly did for friends and neighbors."
Contemplative silence, honoring the Divine in other people, and living according to intrinsic values foster personal and communal well-being. Shared silence can open space for profound experience, spiritual connection, and mutual listening. Simple, humble acts of neighborliness and service, such as offering homegrown food, express spiritual values through everyday behavior and strengthen social bonds. A quieter, intentional life grounded in intrinsic motives can reduce external striving, support psychological health, and enable effective, meaningful service to others. These practices and orientations align with psychological research linking contemplation, purpose, and value-driven living to flourishing.
Read at Psychology Today
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