Solitude: Being Still When You Have to Keep on Moving.

Solitude:Being Still When You Have to Keep Moving

JOHN FEHLEN

2The words of my wife rang out clearly in our local coffee shop: “This is the first time allweek that I have sat still. I really needed this.” What this moment of respite revealed was anunderlying need for extended solitude, silence, and reflection in the midst of an otherwise crazyseason of life and ministry. This essay will endeavor to speak to the stay-at-home mother, thecommuting gentleman, the over-committed student, and the upward mobile minister by drawing primarily from the life of Jesus and also from the writings of the Trapist monk, Thomas Merton.Discovery will be made as to how to

be still

when you have to

keep moving

. Jesus, our ultimatemodel for balanced living, and Merton, will serve to guide us into a better understanding of howto establish rhythms of work

and

rest in today’s culture.One would not automatically consider Thomas Merton to be the best voice for how tolive within a hurried culture. Did he not withdraw completely? Early in Merton’s monastic focushe was in tension with his desire for eremitism, which is the pursuit of reclusion as a Christianhermit. However, over time he concluded that he had to maintain his active role within theChristian community and yet discover how to pursue the Lord in quiet and seclusion as well.For many the notion of complete removal from society is simply not a possibility.Perhaps, though, there are applicable aspects to all walks of life and not just those that are calledto the special vocation of Christian solitude. Juxtaposed with the radical withdrawal of Merton isthe ministry of Jesus, who immersed himself fully into the waters of life and the pressing needsof humanity. Here we see the tension between the ever-present necessity for the averageChristian to discover solitude within their current context and natural rhythms of life.This essay will delve into some of the dynamics of Christian solitude as found in sixGospel texts that highlight Jesus’ rhythm of silence and solitude in the midst of overwhelmingministry.

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What is true solitude?

In the introduction to Thomas Merton’s sixth volume of his journal entitled

Learning to Love

, itis noted that “He had chose a life of solitude, yet he was a warm, affable person – one whoenjoyed human contact and companionship. But he was no ordinary hermit…. He continued towrite letters, receive visitors, and write and publish widely…”

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There is a commonmisunderstanding about the nature and function of solitude that is often attached solely to theconcept of hermitage. Thomas Merton had a longing for complete removal and yet, he stillenjoyed “human contact and companionship”. Can that be considered true solitude? Does onehave to be completely separated from everything in order to achieve true solitude? RichardFoster refers to solitude as “more a state of mind and heart than it is a place. There is a solitudeof the heart that can be maintained at all times."

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If it is indeed a state of mind more than aspecific location, then the average person that is unable to become a monk or adopt the lifestyleof a hermit should be able to participate in solitude. Accordingly, Merton establishes thedefinition of “inward solitude”.

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This is in contrast to ‘outward solitude’ that focuses upon thelocation or complete removal of all distractions regardless of value. Merton goes on to definesolitude as “selfless”. “Therefore, it is rich in silence and charity and peace. It finds in itself seemingly inexhaustible resources of good to bestow on other people. False solitude is self-centered.”

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The focus is clear according to Merton:

others

. This is a strange balance to strike inthat solitude is often associated with complete isolation

from

others. Perhaps David Whitney’sdefinition will give further illumination to the nature of true solitude: “Solitude is the disciplineof voluntarily and temporarily withdrawing to privacy for spiritual purposes”.

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True solitude can be found through temporary means if the focus is of a spiritual nature. This enables one toreconnect to people with a resource of charity and peace.