Tonight was the Jesuit Retreat House program: ‘Between Music and Silence: The Listening Heart of Ignatian Spirituality’ conducted by Christopher Pramuk. The gentleman, scholar, and musician spoke softly; knowledgeable, educated, experienced, unimposing, and attentive. Addressing a gathering, he is a confident man of peace and refinement. He shares a spirituality aligned with an appreciation of music; an aesthete sensibility centered upon God. From my perspective, my journey, the Cloud of Unknowing is expanded upon. The experience of a practiced prayer life has formed fruitful interior space. That space, presence, surrendered within humility and a life of struggle, receives grace with the inclusion of a musical receptivity. Music efficiently embraces a proper relationship with God, an adoration of pure beauty. The dance of life, the seeking of God—Mr Pramuk introduced the idea that in truth we are not seeking rather God is the Seeker—advances with a connection to music; sound—vibration and waves, combined to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression. It is much simpler than dogma and opinions; avoiding the pitfalls of being right or wrong. There was a sister from the order of St Joseph sitting at our table. During a table discussion, she beautifully elaborated on the musicality of prayer. Her words comforted, while details remain vague—something about bringing opposites into balance and other things of wisdom. Strikingly, the obvious presence of a refined interior space, a palpable sense the elderly religious woman possessed a deep prayer life, was enough to impress. Fully present, she held me captive with her penetrating eyes. The socializing with many satisfied.

Quoted words utilized by Mr. Pramuk: “We are not in education for proselytism but for transformation. We want to form a new kind of humanity that is musical, that retains this sensitivity to beauty, to goodness, to the suffering of others, to compassion. But of course, this is a sensitivity that is threatened today by a purely economic or materialist mindset which deadens this sensitivity to deeper dimension of reality. Just as this musical sense is being eroded and weakened by the noise, the pace, the self-images of the modern and postmodern world, so is religious sensitivity.” –Father Adolfo Nicolás, S.J. Superior General of the Society of Jesus

Music played by Mr. Pramuk, a discussion of impressions following.