What can I do if I find it difficult to sit quietly for an hour?
It's very understandable if sitting in silence for an hour sounds daunting. Although that's often how we describe a Quaker Meeting, there are actually no strict expectations about sitting perfectly still for ages. It's meant to be a peaceful, accessible space. So here's some ways Quaker Meetings can be enjoyed fully without compromising on comfort:
1. Not all meetings last for an hour
Jumping straight into an hour long silent meeting might feel like quite a big step. A more gentle introduction would be to find a shorter meeting. In fact, many Quaker Meetings hold a 30-minute ‘midweek meeting’ on a weekday. Alternatively, some Local Meetings, such as Westmister, hold a Drop-in Silence which you can join for as long as you like and leave whenever you like.
If you’re young (or young at heart), some Young Adult Friends groups also hold shorter meetings: you can enquire with your local meeting about whether they have a dedicated Young Adults group by getting in touch with them here.
2. Online meetings mean you can join from the comfort of your home
You can pile on the blankets and Zoom with Friends! Many Local Meetings also hold online Meetings for Worship, or ‘blended’ Meetings where some meet in person and others ‘Zoom’ in. Woodbrooke holds 30-minute online meetings most days of the week. And here at Discovering Quakers we hold a 10-minute ‘mini’ silence in our weekly Quaker Lives sessions.
3. There’s no such thing as perfect silence anyway
We’re all human. We all breathe, cough, fidget, readjust ourselves, drink water, and make slightly embarrassing noises. A meeting can be so peaceful, that someone might even drift off and start snoring! So while we try to preserve quietness so that everybody can get the most from the peace and quiet, we don’t expect our meetings to be 100% silent.
4. Make yourself comfortable
There are also no ‘rules’ saying you have to sit upright in a chair or stay perfectly still in a Quaker Meeting. If lying down or supporting yourself with cushions or blankets is helpful, please make yourself comfortable.
So there you have it: whoever said Quaker Meetings couldn't be comfy?
