Using Stilling in a church

Stilling is an opportunity to explore feelings and develop the imagination. It is literally "being still" (both physically and mentally) whilst exploring and developing the spiritual dimension of life. It is also an exercise in self control and requires regular practice to undertake effectively.

Here is a simple exercise which may be undertaken in a church building. It is the role of the teacher to explain to the children how to relax, talk them through the experience in a calm and unhurried fashion with plenty of gaps to allow for individual interpretation, then finally debrief the children in a way which values their experience and creativity.

It is usually best to undertake stilling at the beginning of a church visit. Children should enter the building quietly and find a seat alone. They should sit in an alert yet relaxed position with, if possible, their backs against the back of the pew and both feet flat on the floor (or on a hassock). Hands should be in a cup like position in the lap or loosely on the knees. Relax! The exercise could then follow the format of the one below. (In what follows    indicates a pause.)

"Let your eyes gently close ..........

Breathe slowly and gently ...........

Listen to your breath...................    

Listen to all the sounds you can hear outside the building ………. 

Are they far away or near ............    

Now concentrate on the sounds inside the building  ……..    

Be very still and listen to the sounds  …….         

Now take deep slow breaths and think about what you can smell …….    

Put your hands down to your sides and feel what you are sitting on         …….

Is it rough or smooth, warm or cold  …….

How do you feel.............................

We're going to finish this exercise soon…. When you feel ready you can open your eyes and have a good stretch"

It is important to follow sessions like this with a debriefing asking the children to share their feelings about the experience. It is also important that throughout the discussion the teacher's attitude is one of accepting and affirming all responses (this is not a test - there are no right answers). It may be appropriate to follow this with a creative activity of some kind, or simply collect effective words from the children for later use in something such as a class poem.

Note: stilling can be very popular with both children and adults, but you may find that a child will be worried about taking part. Reassure them that they can just sit quietly with their eyes open and join in later if they wish.