The newsletter of The Quiet Garden Movement
Quiet PLACES I first attended a Quiet Morning at Ramsey Quiet Garden in 2021. I had no idea what to expect, but I had been invited to take two hours out of my day just to be quiet. What a blessing that was! In my busy life, despite having a big garden in a beautiful setting, I had not allowed myself to take time just to sit, be quiet and feel what was around me. The quiet mornings have taught me to enjoy those things and more. On crossing the threshold of the meeting room, silence reigns. How difficult did I find that! Being a gregarious and ebullient personality, often I would burst in calling a cheery “Hello”, only to be met with gentle smiles and the classic finger on lips reminder. That said, still being raw from bereavement, when nature tipped me to the edge of overwhelming emotion, the group showed care and compassion, leaving me feeling stronger and upheld.
www..quietgarden..org
make ourselves comfortable, focus on a mantra or the candle flame and sit in silence for 15 minutes. How refreshing and enabling that is! A beautiful poem or short philosophical reading enhances the beginning and the end of the meeting. Thanks, and appreciation go to the team who provide a space for peaceful refreshment of the soul through quiet and the beauty of the garden.
Cathy Moulton
Each meeting has a focus, it may be listening, looking, or feeling and, regardless of the weather, we are all invited to examine the garden looking for signs of the day’s focus. One day I found myself walking on the grass barefoot before hugging the beautiful tree which is central to the garden. A labyrinth is laid out on the gravel car park, and we walk slowly and silently, taking our own thoughts and sometimes a stone or piece of bark to leave at the centre. Coffee and chat follow and then comes the moment when we
The Quiet Garden Movement is a network of beautiful gardens and outdoor spaces for prayer, stillness, contemplation and an appreciation of the natural world.