COMMUNING WITH OURSELVES

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) wrote in ‘No Man is an Island,’ “We have to learn to commune with ourselves before we can communicate with other men and with God…. It is useless to try to make peace with ourselves by being pleased with everything we have done. In order to settle down in the quiet of our own being we must learn to be detached from the results of our own activity. We must withdraw ourselves, to some extent, from effects that are beyond our control and be content with the good will and the work that are the quiet expression of our inner life. We must be content to live without watching ourselves live, to work without expecting an immediate reward, to love without an instantaneous satisfaction, and to exist without any special recognition.”

It is very true and very possible to learn to commune within ourselves to ourselves. This is not completely different from the old saying, “He walks around talking to him/herself.” The secret is perhaps to talk silently and of course that is what most of us do. We use conversation as a way of processing various things. The other part of the old saying is also somewhat valid, “We must learn not to talk to ourselves and then answer as well.” If this happens for very long we start saying, “I am all right and so am I.” That’s a crazy person… I think.

“Why do you not understand my speech? Because you are not able to listen to my word.” Jesus