Enjoying Inner Silence

In this recording, Karla Johnston offers the story of Patachara, one of the most renowned female elders from the time of the Buddha, who shows us the practice of "Gathering the Mind" around Silence. Jonathan Prescott explores how silence may not, at first, feel welcome, especially if we’ve been silenced by oppression. But when we willingly embrace silence, it can become an empowerment, showing us that we are enough just as we are. We end with an Inquiry Practice that invites us look deeply into the ways our minds habitually separate us from the joy of silence.   This is the 3rd of 4 talks given at The Anacortes Mindfulness Community’s 6-day retreat on The Joy of Silence, held at the Samish Island Retreat Center, October 16-21, 2026.