Still Dews of Quietness – Howard Thurman

Today I was reading a reflection written by Christine Valters Paintner, the online Abbess of the virtual monastery and global community Abbey of the Arts. In her reflection on hospitality she shared a quote from one of my spiritual mentors, Rev, Dr Howard Thurman. The quote that she shared invited me to return to Thurman’s book, Meditations of the Heart in order to simply reflect on this particular meditation.

“Drop Thy still dews of quietness Till all our strivings cease.”

‘Still dews of quietness’ is a happy phrase which suggests a mood, an atmosphere, rather than an idea or a concept. It is a feeling tone of peace, tranquility, that settles down over one’s spirit. It is the thing that can happen only when one somehow manages to stay put for a spell. How wonderful to sit alone, with one’s own life parts gathered together, and sense the whole of one’s interior landscape being invaded by a blanket of calm ~ by the still dews of quietness. This I must cultivate more and more and with ever greater frequency.

‘Till all our strivings cease.’ How deep and often bitter are the strivings within me! The conflicts of indecision, the conflicts of loyalty, the struggle between good and evil courses of conduct, all this and much more makes of my spirit a battle ground, a citadel of tempests raging. All of this is a part of me; all of this must be stilled – must be settled. Oh, how my soul cries out for moments when the battle does not rage, when I hear the whisper of the still small voice giving me reassurance and renewal. After which I can go forward without fear but with confidence that the way I take is The Way for me.

“Drop Thy still dews of quietness Till all our strivings cease.” — Howard Thurman, Meditations of the Heart, pp. 172-173)

My prayer for you, dear reader, is that you too can hear the whisper of the still small voice giving [you] reassurance and renewal.