Many of us – myself included – will go to great lengths to avoid silence. I don’t mean simply working in the quiet, or relishing that moment when the kids finally go to sleep, but that sort of deep silence where you pull away from activity and distraction, and attempt to be still and silent. Many of us don’t really know what to ‘do’ when we get there, which is precisely the point. Yet, as plenty of therapies and contemplative traditions, from desert monks to the contemporary mindfulness trend, bear witness, silence is utterly transformative, and is a vital means to discover ourselves and inhabit our environments in ways more perceptive, compassionate and patient.

Last term, we held a series of discussions on Sundays about how the resources of the Christian faith can help us to explore what it means to be human, which provoked lively thinking indeed. Complimentary to this, though, we will be holding a quiet day entitled ‘Being Human’ on Saturday 28 April (10.00-15.30) at The Cherwell Centre, Norham Gardens. With short reflections and exercises to help us enter an atmosphere of silent attentiveness, we hope to discover the power of that precious space underneath all the chatter, beyond our capacity to control and comprehend, that is so vital to human reflection, and indeed to awareness of the presence and call and love of God.

Whether that sounds like a dream come true, or mildly terrifying and unknown, you would be very welcome. To book a place (by 20th April), email universitychurch@ox.ac.uk. Suggested donation of £10 (free to confirmation candidates), which includes a light lunch and refreshments.

‘In contemplative prayer we seek to become the person we are called to be, not by thinking of God, but by being with God. Simply to be with God is to be drawn into being the person God calls us to be.’ – John Main (1926-1982)