LEBH SHOMEA ~ PART I

You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts; and when you can no longer dwell in the solitude of your heart you live in your lips, and sound is a diversion and a pastime.

And in much of your talking, thinking is half murdered.

For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold his wings but cannot fly...

There are those that have the truth within them, but they tell it not in words. In the bosom of such as these the spirit dwells in rhythmic silence.

Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

Today I am off to the abbey Lebh Shomea for a two day retreat. I have been looking forward to this for a few weeks. I put a link for you over in the margin with more detail, but basically, it is an abbey set on acres of rugged South Texas brush country where guests of all spiritual paths are welcomed and silence is observed in day to day life. That's right... you DON'T TALK! Anyone who knows me might be surprised in my interest and desire to visit Lebh Shomea because, well, I can talk alot! But I also am silent for hours at a time all the time and am very comfortable with solitude and silence. So I am to arrive around lunch time, be given a tour and necessary instructions and be left to my own devices for the weekend!

1:00 pm ~ I am here. The drive in was beautiful and I saw a green jay! That's a great omen! I also saw deer, turkeys, and all sorts of birds everywhere. I stopped at the main gate where I checked in and they called ahead to announce my arrival to my guide. As promised, she was waiting for me at the white garage in her golf cart. She invited me to hop aboard, and we set off for my tour. There were more deer (everywhere) which are so tame that they yielded to the cart only reluctantly :) She showed me the whole place, and we ended up at my dwelling, "Peter", which is just outside the big house. The big house is beautiful; there's alot of history here and I am looking forward to checking out the library. But first I moved into my little dwelling. It is about 18 by 18. There is a tiny little screened porch with a chair. The main room is crisp and spare, with a cute little white bed and a desk, chair, and bookshelf. The sheets have been line-dried; I can smell them just standing in the room. I love that smell; it reminds me of sleeping at my grandmother's house. There's a small sitting, or reading room with a chair and a window, and a bathroom connected to a roomy closet. Mmm... the towels smell good too! Basically, this place has all I need; I could live here. I'd probably need a pet, though :) Instead I went outside and fetched a softball-sized ball moss I had seen on my way in and after arranging my books on the little bookshelf, gave it a place of honor there. I am a huge ball moss fan; they seem so perfect and self-contained to me. With my pet moss in place, and my things neatly stowed in the closet and bathroom, I decided to go out for a little walk.