Sanctuary and Sabbath

My heart longs for sanctuary
in a world where little refuge is found
for a longing soul.
Here in the monastery, silence is essential
for the heart to hear its greatest fear
or its sweetest music.
Speech is intentional. Anything less would appear
as graffiti on the walls of the corridors of brick
glazed by years of prayer, work and discipline.
My inner demons are not drowned out by exterior noise; rather their clamoring,
clattering is finally experienced as if amplified by 200 percent because there is no resistance here.

How can I take this sabbath experience
the setting aside of time for edification and nourishment of the Holy
applying it to my hectic, disorganized life?

I can remember this time and place,
I can feel the inner sense of centeredness
I can, only with God's love and strength
summon the discipline,
survive the trial and error
to institute a personal routine maintaining a watch on my heart and soul.

Advent comes closer with each day.
may my heart be drawn closer to the HEART of all creation.