About A Silent Gathering

The first silent gathering was happened on the May bank holiday 2024. 

Comments received afterwards...

1
"It was just really nice to sit together without an agenda.
I left feeling more peaceful. If that's the point of it - I'll take it!"
2
“I go to protests against atrocities, calls for peace and to acknowledge environmental issues - but this was very different … I mean - that’s obvious I guess! But just observing the sounds I heard when my thoughts were given second place to being with  communal silence   … it was more helpful than I imagined.
Outside with no leaders was nice, yet communal …  I’ll still go and bang my drum at protests  … but this opened me up to an easy way to be with myself and others .. thank you."
3
"That was very special- thanks for organising"
4
"I didn‘t really get it - was there  something ‘to get’? - I left earlier than planned"
5
"Thank you for yesterday's gathering below the Brighton bandstand.
It was very enjoyable, I came away buoyant.
There was something of humility to have no one announce it's start or end or to come forward to announce the organising of it.
I sat there, thinking up a mantra
Breathing in we are silent
Breathing out we create peace
Breathing in we create peace
Breathing out we are silent
...
I wondered how silent the turbulent world would be if one more person sat down in silence and then another and another...
Thank you"
6
"Loved the event on Sunday"
7
“I’d have preferred some kind of guidance - I wasn’t sure what to do to be honest.”
8
"I came early and I just found a spot and  laid down ... it reminded me of an extended Savasana pose at the end of a yoga class. Lovely."
9
"Will someone let us know if we are doing this right?"
10
“I don’t really know why I came - I got a leaflet and something just said ‘try it’ - I arrived a little late I think … I went and sat near the shore - though I was tempted by the circle of people that was inviting me as I arrived.
During the 20 minutes I noticed I had a lot of chatter in my head including ‘why the hell am I here doing this? And “I wonder what everyone else is thinking”
- just noticing that thought made me laugh out loud  … till I got some time of simply being there… with still some thoughts … but increasingly with  just the sound of the waves, the passing clouds in the sky and odd shrieks of humans and gulls … (plus pebble crunching  from other humans came and went)  …
I don't think it lasted that long - the kind of stillness that came ...but I ended up staying longer than everyone else  -  which surprised me. I’ve been encouraged to practise this kind of thing … but this time something clicked -  just being with whatever came up.
Maybe it was the communal aspect - I don’t know.
It encouraged me to do this more regularly. I am glad this is all unguided and unled - that would have put me off. Thank you!”
11
Note from the 'organisers' ... Whether you are the one person who turns up or 100 people arrive to sit with you   ... to simply sit in silence for 20 minutes is the only way to do this 'right'.