“To ‘listen’ another's soul into a condition of disclosure and discovery may be almost the greatest service that any human being ever performs for another… For in penetrating to what is involved in listening, do we not disclose the thinness of the filament that separates men [and women] listening openly to one another, and that of God intently listening to each soul?”
Douglas V. Steere
in On Listening to Another
SilentHeron.net offers a place of spiritual, creative and intellectual hospitality to pilgrims, artists and innovators. Through a wide range of spiritual and creative conversations, it provides creative men and women interested in serving others with the opportunity to speak about their deepest desires and creative impulses with a sympathetic and active listener.
Timothy J. Ray created SilentHeron.net as the online extension of his spiritual and creative development practice. Timothy brings a diversified background in creative expression, cultural and political history, philosophical and theological reflection, and public policy to his work in spiritual and creative development. His extensive experience in social analysis, community development and conflict resolution further define these concerns to help him foster projects integrating rigorous social reflection, subtle spiritual discernment and articulate creative expression.
For more information on Timothy and his background,
please click here.
SilentHeron.net provides a variety of one-on-one conversations connecting the fruits of contemplative prayer to social witness, creative expression and cultural innovation. These conversations are ecumenical, designed to empower individuals within their particular denominations and personal histories. By connecting contemplative prayer with active reflection on the concerns its participants face in their societies, SilentHeron.net assists modern-day pilgrims to develop the resources to remain steadfast in their personal journeys of faith while also reaching out to others as signs of hope and redemption.
For more information on SilentHeron.net’s spiritual conversations,
please click here.
SilentHeron.net also hosts secular project-based discussions addressing creativity, innovation and change. Intended to foster dialogue between artists of different backgrounds and beliefs, these conversations address social and cultural concerns shared by any artist or innovator trying to develop and disseminate new ideas or artworks, addressing the personal challenges of creative expression as well as the social dynamics of innovation and change.
For more information on SilentHeron.net’s secular conversations,
please click here.
Why a silent heron?
While a university student, Timothy visited an abbey in western New York. As he waited to meet with one of his hosts, he sat near a pond watching a heron moving silently through the water. Its movements became almost hypnotic before it gracefully lifted out of the water and flew away without a sound.
For many years, Timothy visualized this moment when calming himself for prayer.
Recently, while reflecting on this event, he recognized that the core disciplines shaping his life — and, by extension, his spiritual and creative work with others — mirrored the symbolic qualities associated with the heron: interior calmness, reflective vigilance and active contemplation.