A Peaceful Christmas
The power of silence at a busy time
by Claire Law (adapted, originally published in 2016)
Suitable for Whole School (Sec)
Aims
To reflect on the benefits of silence and stillness.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (A Peaceful Christmas) and the means to display them during the assembly.
- Have available the song ‘The sound of silence’ by Simon and Garfunkel and the means to play it at the start and end of the assembly. It is 3.58 minutes long and is available at: https://youtu.be/NAEppFUWLfc
Assembly
- Play the song ‘The sound of silence’ as the students enter the room.
Wait for the song to end.
Encourage the students to listen in silence for 30 seconds and then share any sounds that they have heard.
Listen to a range of responses.
The sounds could include traffic noise outside, the sound of other students in a different part of the building, the hum of the lights, someone in the room coughing or shuffling, rustling, the sound of breathing or even a tummy rumbling! - Point out that we live in a noisy world. It is rare to find time, even for 30 seconds, to stop and listen to the sounds around us. Much of the background noise that we hear is unavoidable - traffic noise; the sounds of others chatting, shouting and laughing; the school bell ringing to mark the start and end of lessons - but there are some noises that we voluntarily tune in to, such as music, TV and talking. These can be enjoyable and can enrich our lives. Most of us enjoy listening to music, for example, and many people love to attend sporting events, such as football matches where the cheering and ear-deafening chants of the supporters enhance the atmosphere!
- Ask the students, ‘Is there also a place for silence and stillness in our noisy world?’
Suggest that Germany is a country where there is an awareness of the importance of silence and quiet.
In 1907, the first modern earplug was developed by a German pharmacist called Max Negwer. He called his new invention Ohropax, combining the German word for ‘ear’ and the Latin word for ‘peace’.
In the same year, an anti-noise society was set up in Hanover. The founder of this society, Theodore Lessing, often said that ‘silence is noble’. - Nowadays in Germany, making noise or disturbing your neighbours is strictly forbidden between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. for six days of the week and all day on Sundays. During these quiet hours, people cannot do house renovations, mow their lawn, use a vacuum cleaner, throw a party or play loud music. Children are allowed to play, laugh and cry during the day, but many visitors to Germany have noted how even the children’s play areas seem quieter than in other parts of the world.
- Show Slide 1.
The German poet Goethe wrote, ‘Talent develops in quiet places.’ - There is evidence that silence in the classroom can actually improve students’ performance. A study in 2011 by Dr Helen Lees from Stirling University indicated that ‘deliberate stillness’, where students had the opportunity to focus and reflect in a stress-free environment, had a significant positive effect on concentration and behaviour.
- Ask the students the following questions.
- How could we find spaces and opportunities for silence here in school or in our towns?
- Do you think finding time for silence and quietness is important?
- Why might times of stillness and quiet be particularly important in the Christmas season? - Evidence suggests that silence is beneficial to health. Noise, especially when it is greater than 30 decibels, is associated with high blood pressure, anxiety and stress. Silence lowers blood pressure and enables people to deal with life’s challenges more easily. It also enables us to centre ourselves and stop in the midst of frantic activity. Silence can help all of us to feel human again.
During the frantic activity of Christmas, taking moments to be calm, still and quiet can help to ease stress and allow time for reflection about the true meaning of Christmas. - Show Slide 2.
Jesus also knew that silence, stillness and solitude - time alone, away from distractions - was good. In Luke 5.16, we are told that ‘Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed’. Maybe, if smartphones had been around 2,000 years ago, Jesus would have switched off his phone sometimes when he sought a place of stillness and silence!
Time for reflection
Let us pause and reflect on the following questions.
Show Slide 3.
- In your daily routine, when do you have space to stop and be still and quiet?
- What is it that you need to stop doing to find opportunities for quiet stillness and peace?
- Can you think of a particular location that would be a helpful ‘quiet place’ for you?
- In the lead-up to Christmas, can you find time for reflection?
Show Slide 4.
Prayer
Dear God,
We thank you for the gift of sound: the wonderful noise of friends laughing together, the joy that we feel when we hear our favourite music and the excitement of cheering on our sports teams.
Please help us to recognize and respond to the example that Jesus gave us.
Help us to seek out quiet places of stillness and calm this Christmas.
Please give us the wisdom to recognize where and when to look for quiet moments.
We take a moment now to be still and silent before you.
Pause to allow time for thought.
Thank you.
Amen.
Song/music
‘The sound of silence’ by Simon and Garfunkel, available at: https://youtu.be/NAEppFUWLfc (3.58 minutes long)
