One of my favourite scenes in the Sanctuary, that I have come to love over the years, is not what you would think it would be. It is not a scene of the most fabulous colours of the gardens in Autumn (and boy are they fabulous), nor the blooming daisies in the summertime field (again, they are breathtaking). Rather, it was Sister Stan as she sat in stillness and deep contemplation.
Stan had this near daily routine of sitting in stillness by her office window, soaking in a sunbeam, and meditating or possibly praying. I never asked what she was doing. Instead, I used to joke with her that, one of these days, I would snap a picture of her in that position. Yet, somehow I always knew that snapping a picture of her might be just a little bit too invasive.
I could be imagining things in my mind, but it felt like those moments she spent there in front of her window were not only sacred but also paramount for the work that she managed to do. I found it inspiring. And it reminded me that despite all of the daily highs and lows that come with trying to make an organisation successful, there needs to be a space for stillness. There needs to be quiet and there needs to be time set aside for the seeds of ideas to germinate, to grow and for action to be taken. One cannot happen without the other. I am having to learn this lesson over and over again. Stan seemed to have learned it down to a tee.
In an interview with Lust for Life, Sr. Stan explained that “we all have a basic need to be quiet, to be still, to be present.” She went on to say that the practice of stillness can “transform people’s lives- I am certain…. It would really affect everything they do”.
It certainly affected everything that she did. It enabled her to be present for those in need through her work with Focus Ireland, Young Social Innovators and the Immigrant Council of Ireland, as well as provide the inspiration for her work in the Sanctuary. In fact, her stillness practice was a map for the Sanctuary as a space for quiet in the midst of the busyness of contemporary society. In 2021, she told the Irish Farmers Journal that “unless you discover the peace within, it is hard to find peace in life”. And she believed this wholeheartedly.
So much so that she created a space in the Sanctuary that is welcome to all, so that we could all find our sunbeams and windows to sit beside.
This Tuesday, it will be one year since we lost our beloved Stan. If you are around and would like to drop in to the practice of stillness with the Sanctuary community, why not join us at 10am. We would love to see you there.
-Jane
Click HERE to access the Zoom room
Leave a Reply