A Quiet Mind

Today, take a break from media. Turn off the radio, the TV, the podcasts and the internet. Outside of work hours, avoid email and other reading. Instead, read through Psalm 130 below several times to allow it to shape your thinking:

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!

O Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive
    to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
    O Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness,
    that you may be feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord
    more than watchmen for the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
    For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
    and with him is plentiful redemption.

And he will redeem Israel
    from all his iniquities.

Then spend 10 minutes in quiet silence at the end of your media break. There is no other purpose other to be alone with your thoughts.

Start your time with the Daily Prayer from Psalm 130:

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. 

..........

A simple reflection: What came to your mind during the 10 minutes of quiet?

In response to what came to mind, you can pray: “God, I offer my thoughts of _______ to you today. Amen”

Finish your time with the Daily Prayer from Psalm 130:

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
More than watchmen wait for the morning.
More than watchmen wait for the morning.

For those who would like to think a bit more about silence, HERE is a wonderful piece by Henri Nouwen, one of the true greats.