Margaret Silf

Margaret Silf for those who she has not crossed their paths until now, is a British author. She works ecumenically, across and beyond the traditional denominations and is passionate about making Christian spirituality accessible in everyday life. She has been trained by the Jesuits in spiritual accompaniment and now devotes herself to writing and accompanying others on their spiritual journey through retreats, workshops and days of reflection. 

I first came across Margaret Silf book Landmarks about two years ago, when a friend said we would read and journey together through the book. What a deep insightful journey it was for both of us. When I learnt that Margaret was coming to Melbourne I was delighted to be able to let our paths cross once again and this time in person! Magical! 

Margaret Silf is a voice of a women, this seems so bluntly clear, yet I think, that is what held my attention when I first started to read her books, reflections a few years ago. More than a voice of a women, in her writings its clear to see that she doesn't hold a voice that is involved with the institutional church as such, more a lay person who sits very lightly on most things ecclesiastical. 

There is a way about her writing and presenting, that leaves the sense that the dynamic of the spiritual journey for most ordinary pilgrims can identify with her simple yet insightful exercises and wisdom she speaks. 

I connect with her on level that possibly we are both gifted with an advantage that gives us a freedom in not having a Roman Catholic upbringing or baggage that I so often hear people mention when they talk about their past. 

Saturday Margaret address nearly four hundred people from around Melbourne, who with us, had gathered together to gain more insight into how we are going to embrace the year of Mercy. Her open comment was that without prayer there is no mercy and without mercy there is no prayer nor depth!!  - She jumps straight to the point! 

Margaret is big on pictorial images to explain a concept or association. For example - 

Contemplative prayer she used the image of a Zebra…. Im not story teller like Margaret so stay with me….. 

When a baby zebra is born it walks rings around its mothers legs until it finally gets so exhausted collapsing on the ground laying in a position of gazing at the mother. 

On first thought this is a beautiful image and can be related to humans a little, especially toddlers, however learning more about the zebra gives a deeper insight. 

The baby zebra walks rings around its mother to build up its strength, after all if in the wild when day breaks they are going to have to join the other zebra and run to stay alive. When the baby zebra gazes at its mother it is to memories the strips so when out in the wild it will be able to recognize the mother in among all the other zebras. Its so amazing that every zebra strips are different, what a creation ha. 

Connecting this to contemplative prayer leaves with a question, where do I see pattern of God in today, in the light or darkness? Looking back over the day what did it bring… etc…. 

Throughout the hour of speaking there was many images and stories along these lines. On Monday I was very fortunate to go with sister to a day retreat that Margaret Silf was leading. It was titled in the echoes of chaos, based on another one of her books. There is a lot from this day I wish to share however Im going to keep it simple!! 

In the morning we focus on making sense of changes that we all face in our own time, in our own personal lives encompassing all including faith system, global situation, etc etc I recall Margaret saying that in some cases these changes feel more like meltdown than transition - chaos - 

She told this reflection - these are her words from a handout I was given!! So I will simply retype for you - 

When the plough goes through

Imagine a scene in the autumn, somewhere in the countryside. The picture shows a freshly ploughed field. In the foreground you can see the stile that marks the spot where the footpath once went through. People got use to walking along this footpath, perhaps taking their gods for a morning walk. We are creatures of habit, and we very quickly settle into fixed certainties and expectations. 

But the farmer has overturned those expectations. He has gone through his feign with the plough and what used to be a grassy path has turned overnight into furrows of earth, awaiting a new harvest. Someone is pleased about this change, however. The birds are flocking in, discovering food from the upturned earth that they had never dared to dream of. Perhaps this is also a picture of what happened when Jesus first challenged the fixed positions of his time, and opened up quite new possibilities of growth and change. 

When we embark upon a spiritual journey, seeking to walk our own personal pathway in God's presence, it can feel a bit like this. The old pathways we had become so used to seem to disappear. We are living in the same old field, but the terrain has changed. God is preparing if for a new harvest - the harvest that only our lives can bring to life - the grain that will be given for others if we allow God to walk our pathways along with us. But already, long before the harvest, there is fresh food. Jesus upturns our certainties and challenges our fixed positions, but he feeds us more abundantly than we could have dared to dream of. With him, it will be possible to turn this field of our living into a place of fruitfulness. 

One other picture story that still held in my mind is Humpty Dumpty!! 

In my home town there is a large park that we use to go to with family, cousins and friends. There was a Humpty Dumpty there that we would race up on the wall then race down and move onto the next activity. I often think of this when hearing Humpty Dumpty!! I recall not so long ago when reading a nursery rhyme book to Jersie-Rose back in New Zealand thinking some of these stories are sad, not really ideal for teaching a child. 

Humpty Dumpty is one of those stories, its always in full imagery of Humpty Dumpty the fragile egg that sits high on a wall, high above everyone else, so certain of his position, his role. Then he falls and what a big mess, his broken, life over how he knew it. Then a little bit of light creeps in with the horsemen and the kings men, none the less, coming in to try help put him back together, this often gives me hope that people come together in compassion to help one another. 

Margaret used Humpty Dumpty to highlight the importance of what you see. Looking at a mess of broken eggshells, it can appear to be a breakdown on a grand scale. But what if it was something else altogether? What if the egg was not just breaking, but actually hatching? In that situation, it would be more important to help the chick come to birth than to focus attention on examining the broken pieces and trying to put it back together again!! 

Putting things back together rises questions in itself, as to the method used to put things back together, and is the what we are putting together to remain that way. 

Margaret concluded with the question - Should you be sticking the egg back together or nourishing the chick!!!! 

I think this is a very enlightening question…..