Inviting Silence : How to Find Inner Stillness and Calm

by Gunilla Norris

'People often contact me because they have lost some kind of meaning thread in their lives. Without a sense of meaning our lives lose their lustre. We endure our days rather than embrace the living of them. To enter the realm of meaning requires attention and dedication. It requires an interior, reflective life. It requires the calming of our usual chattering minds.' In the noise and rush of life today we often yearn to find the natural stillness which is our birthright. This thoughtful and poetic guide explains the universal principles of meditation practice and mindful living. It is divided into four
--Beginning Silence which reflects on the understanding that longing and discontent is a wake-up call, an invitation to begin.
--Growing Silence which dwells on yearning itself as a path, with acceptance of the ambivalence which accompanies any deep change.
--Practising Silence which describes the practise of meditation.
--Sharing Silence encourages the idea of formal practice with others to deepen and sustain the experience of cultivating a peaceful heart.

Genres: Spirituality, Meditation, Self Help, Nonfiction, Poetry

112 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2004

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book was thought provoking and insightful. My take away was to be in silence more as it open the door to the true self or the core self. Silence is the space where discovery happens whether that be in meditation, yoga, nature. Just invite in more silence.

[George Bremner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read. More a contemplative, aphoristic dharma talk. She doesn't know the difference between irony and paradox, but if you read it after a long retreat, you might understand this:

"When we speak, when we act, we offer each other food and water, we give form and expression to the essential vibration within us. We become, in a sense, living words. Words in combination make complete meaningful phrases. Through this collaboration, potentials can be realized. Worlds are created. In the language of life, we are words of power."

Any takers?

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

ⓒ2004. Beginning instructions for meditation by a Catholic nun. First half of book very similar to other authors' basic instructions. Second half includes some original language about where silence can lead us and how to cooperate with it, which in my opinion makes it worth reading. Short book, laid out like poetry; easy to read.

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides a deeper insight into the different aspects of meditation that we don’t think about regularly. Many of the verses were eye-opening in helping me to be more present. This is one of those books I will reread often!

[Jeanie Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gunilla Norris is as concise as she is wise. I loved every word of this.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for a getaway retreat or a relaxing afternoon in a hammock.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and sweet. Very helpful and encouraging.

[Blake Williams]

I read this during a hermitage retreat. :)

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Norris's Being Home, I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did, but I had ordered both at the same time, so I figured I may as well plough through it.

Unlike Being Home, Inviting Silence contains some very practical and simply stated principles for introducing meditation into your daily life. While it is also set up like poetry on the page, it doesn't seem to strain at it. The prose is direct and clear as a bell. There is no pretense. And it presents easy entry into a practice that may seem daunting and esoteric. Norris simplifies the entire notion of meditation, which doesn't seem to me to detract from or diminish it at all. I will be dipping into this book again as I get serious about daily meditation, not because I should (as Dr. Grogan warns against saying) but because I choose to.

[Kirstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered this book on vacation in a bookstore in Cannon Beach. I want to be more intentional about being still --- outwardly and inwardly. I was drawn to the conciseness of this book to support me in developing this practice. As the author states in her introduction, this book "is a simple guideline for anyone of any tradition, and is offered with reverence for all who honor and use silence as a way." I also am intrigued by the idea she shares of starting a meditation group to "share silence" together. Maybe someday...

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really excellent book on meditation. It's partly about how to meditate, and is partly a meditation itself. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in meditation, especially to folks who're already familiar with the mechanics of meditation.

[Martha Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sweet gentle book about meditating. Forgettable. Not my usual choice for time spent.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am glad this book found me today. It will allow me to begin again. Highly recommended to anyone who is serious about changing the way they live, eat, sleep and think.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gentle book about meditation and the value of group meditation. Prose written like poetry.