Step change: Angela Greenwood reflects on a day of witness

‘Things happen!’

Like many of us, I feel challenged and pained by the troubles and hurts around me, and the unbearable horrors we see acted out both nearby and in far away places. We can feel helpless, and pushed to act – but what to do and how to respond? A profound question, especially for those of us like Quakers on a spiritual path of silent opening and waiting in the Light.

And not just Quakers. Many spiritual and mystical traditions are reflecting in similar and complimentary ways about the same thing.

The Sufi Pir Elias Amidon says: ‘Of course you can’t respond to all of it. You can only respond to what is yours to respond to’. ‘Loving what we are called to love’ as a Friend of mine says.

Amidon continues: ‘If you are some kind of opinionated observer you will likely only make matters worse. It isn’t what you do, but the love inside what you do that makes a difference… Your spontaneous gesture is born from your intimacy with life… Since it arises from the awareness of your seamlessness with all being it is naturally caring. It brings life into a situation.’

This awareness of the seamlessness with all being can be like a slow realisation arising from within as we open to the Light in meditation, in Meeting for Worship; and in the little pauses within our everyday busyness, perhaps.

Letting go of outcomes has also become a crucial aspect of my ‘service’ and everyday responding – not that I always manage it! As Caroline Myss says: ‘It is not for us to know who or in what way our actions will make a difference. If you need to know that, as Teresa of Avila would often say to her nuns, “then you are not ready for the task. Go back to the kitchen and peel potatoes”!’

Andrew Harvey’s book, The Hope, A Guide to Sacred activism is described as ‘Compassion in Action – the marriage of practical action with spiritual wisdom to create a holy force capable of transforming our world crisis and preserving our planet.’ He links our daily spiritual practice with the inner (causeless) joy which can spontaneously arise, and our rising awareness of the universe as one interdependent whole, with compassionate service as opportunities arise.

As Thich Nhat Hanh says ‘Compassion means, literally, to suffer with. We can meditate on the suffering of those who hurt us. “To look deeply is to understand”… enabling us to release our bitterness, and long for them to suffer less… opening us up to the freshness of the stream of love and peace which flows naturally from the heart. Practicing mindfulness in each moment can help us cultivate inner peace’.

Eckhart Tolle makes a link between our inner depth and our outer actions, even speaking of it in evolutionary terms: ‘There is no doubt that humanity is at an important point in its evolutionary journey towards a more awakened consciousness. Many people have been undergoing a shift in consciousness and are going deeper to become aware of something that cannot be seen but is rather felt. The world situation is calling more of us to take this inner journey.’

In my experience such opportunities and situations can sometimes seem to pop up quite spontaneously and unexpectedly – ‘in the moment’ you might say.

I had nothing booked for Saturday, and a Friend reminded me about ‘The Big Sit’ in Stratford on Saturday morning, facilitated by her son. It was advertised thus: ‘Pause… Breathe. In solidarity with humans and animals suffering in the world today. An invitation for meditators, faith groups and ordinary people to bear witness.’ I was also reminded of the ‘Peace is Every Step’ walk, organised jointly by Quakers in Britain and Plum Village UK, on Saturday afternoon in central London. ‘In a collaborative effort’, said the invite, ‘diverse faith groups have come together to organise and lead a silent contemplative Peace Walk in London. Organised in response to escalating violence and warfare worldwide, particularly as occurring in Palestine and Israel, the event underscores the pressing need to advocate for peace amid the rising challenges of hatred, anger, destruction, displacement, suffering and increasing loss of life’.

All this happened to coincide with my finishing the (rather late) Christmas present quilt for my London-based daughter, which I was keen to give her. So I had three reasons to go to London!

At the Big Sit most of us sit quietly and meditate for forty-five minutes around a beautifully-crafted and colourful floor banner, with a few cushions and chairs for passers-by to join us. Meanwhile, one or two participants are available to chat to individuals and families who express interest. Shopping malls like the big one in Stratford are not my favourite venues, but surprisingly the buzz of shoppers, escalators and lights were no problem to our quiet practice, and there was, as usual, much interest in our meditative vigil.

Before we began, we reflected on how we were feeling, and one participant said he felt some mild curiosity as to what might happen both around and within as we sat there silently among the busy crowds. I must say I was quite taken by his gentle wondering, which has stayed with me!

The Peace Walk was inspirational. Very multifaith. Before we started the walk, representatives from many faiths said a few words and prayers. At this time of conflict in the middle east I was interestingly quite taken by the Jewish contribution, which I found openhearted, caring and wholistic. The warmongers in Israel and Palestine should hear this, I reflected.

As we listened to the speakers a steward passed by with some ‘Peace is every step’ leaflets. I would not normally accept leaflets in London, but when I saw the title I was enthusiastic to receive it. ‘Oh I have read the book. It’s by Thich Naht Hanh isn’t it? I love it. So gentle and simple’. Then I realised that that was the title of our slow silent walk from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square and back. I loved that description: ‘Peace is every step.’ Very simple – but challenging too. We started to walk slowly and silently. Many people stopped and watched us as we slowly passed by.

Things happen!

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