Stillness

 

Many years ago I did a philosophy course and was assigned the task of writing a paper on the topic "What is Truth?". I struggled writing that paper and my professor very gently suggested that I do as few philosophy courses as possible because my brain just didn't work that way.  So here I am after a day of wandering around Iona about to tell you about the stillness.  There is a stillness!! It would be easy to leave it at that and let you work out the rest but that would perhaps be an injustice to this place and to you.  So I will try to describe it with my limited abilities.

The stillness seems to surround you, someone said it's like an aura.  It is not as if this place is not busy because the island has a steady stream of people coming and going, but the stillness is there.

It was in the hallway yesterday evening as we left the chapel and I was trying to decipher what this prayer said.

Another participant joined me and we laughed together as we tried to figure out the writing.  As we stood there the warden of the Abbey, who refers to herself as "the purveyor of perfect chaos", joined us and was not able to help us either.  And yet in the discussion and the laughter there was stillness.

It is there in large gatherings adjust chaotic conversation, it the quiet of the garden and lands, in the walk through the town and out of it to the beaches.  

So what is the stillness, the aura of this place? The rich history, the violent Viking stories of their history, the commitment to stay and build despite it all?  A lasting commitment despite all that would seem to convince you to leave for something bigger, better, safer.  The stillness defies description.  You feel it deep within and just like the question my professor landed in me years ago I find I am no more able to describe it to you than I was able to explain truth to him.

Descriptions attempted will not do it justice in this particular case you just feel it and let it wash over you and just enjoy the experience.

And the prayer above reads:

Deep peace of the running wave to you

Deep peace of the flowing air to you

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you

Deep peace of the shining star to you

Deep peace of the son of peace to you.  Amen

Amen and let it be so!