The Power of Silence: Participants' comments

Fr Sebastian Painadath’s session held at Luther Center on 22nd and 23rd April, 2012

Below is a compilation of the various participants' comments received, using the actual phrases found in the evaluation forms.

A.    Regarding aspects or components most helpful in facilitating the meditative process

1. Overall guidance and slow explanation given by the facilitator like oneness with earth, body, breath, rootedness like the tree to the ground……the symbols and images.
2. The practice time for meditation, the silence, the gong, the ambiance and conducive environment, guidance during the meditation sessions and the step by step process to go into quiet and silence within the stillness
3. The Jesus-Om-Jesus chant
4. The reference to the scriptures, the tree metaphor for the trinity
5. The inner landscape diagram, the levels of consciousness, psyche and heart/inner space
6. The calmness of the guru, making the message and the person one
7. The Q & A sessions helped
8. The idea of cosmic consciousness and the comparison of similarities of religions helped in meditating effectively.

B.    What the participants took away from the 2-day workshop

1. A beautiful experience – the gift to be silent and the grace to meditate everyday.
2. Finding myself one with the Divine and the interconnectedness of humanity and everything in this world/universe. It is profound and beyond imagination, yet logical.
3. Starting and practicing meditation daily – deepening the process….with more discipline…
4. A lot of new knowledge…..and more questions!
5. This is my first such retreat…I feel it is a primer and that if I take off on it, I would be prepared for more.
6. The understanding of the Trinity ….the image of the tree in relation to the god in us.
7. The transforming power of silence…..
8. Meditation requires patience and perseverance….it is a journey of development, meditation is for me.,,,, compassion can result from the process.
9. Peace! Not to expect anything but to trust god’s presence in me.
10. The fellowship shared among friends

C Additional Comments
 
Positive:

• Good food and place
• Beautifully organized – with grace and harmony
• Very well managed sessions by the organizers.
• Venue is excellent, food nourishing, well-prepared. Thank you and God bless the organisers.
• Organisers were so professional! Food was excellent!

 Negative:

• Q&A tend to go off context……also too long at times and took     away time that could have been used for meditation……could it be better to write down the questions and pass to Fr so that questions are not irrelevant?
• Lunch was not spicy enough.
• Silence was broken
• Not too comfortable with the Hindu word “om”
• Bit too much to digest in 2 days
• Understood better on the second day!
• Extend to 3 days to give more meditation practice
• Should make it stay-in, if possible
• Get more 20-40 age-group to attend

Fr Sebastian

• Thank you Fr Sebastian – love the simple and profound content of        both the books. Your divine presence spoke to us deeply.
• Father is extremely respectful and appreciative of ancient traditions  and other religions– if people of the world could do this, it would be a peaceful world!
• Fr Painadath is certainly a great scholar! His theoretical explanations are clear and effective. He is very knowledgable about spirituality and hence speaks with firmness, yet with humility.
• Fr Sebastian is wonderful at explaining the process of meditation

For TTL

•   Thank God for TTL!!! Please keep up the good work!
•   Thank you to the organizers for your vision to bring a person like Fr Sebastian
•   All participants resoundingly said “YES” to continuing this session.