So you go to a Quaker school…but what does that really mean? There’s a lot of different factors that make up the Quaker aspect of our community, the most obvious of which is Meeting for Worship. For those of us that don’t know, Meeting for Worship is a religious gathering for Quakers in which groups of people sit in silence, waiting for a message from the Inner Light. This silence is broken when a member of the community feels moved to speak and stands to share a message with the rest of the community. Meeting means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, from a space to pray and seek God to a time for simple reflection on your day. Meeting has its values for everyone, religious or not, and can just be a time to take a breath, and let go of all the little stressors in your day. Still, sometimes it’s hard to know what to do in Meeting if it’s not something you’re used to.

Here are some dos and don’ts of Quaker Meeting:

• DO use the time to think about whatever you want. It is your time, after all. Here at Sandy Spring, we encourage you to sit in silence and wait to hear that inner voice. We are also very accepting of all religious and spiritual practices and value them greatly. This time is yours to do with it what you will, so long as it is respectful to the other people in your community.
• DO try to be present during this time. Sometimes you’ve had a hard week where sleep has been hard to come by; the quietness of meeting lends itself to a great nap. Please, please, please do not sleep during Meeting. It is considered rude and tends to make a mockery of a sacred space. If you think that people won’t notice or won’t mind, you’re wrong. Torch sits looking up at everyone and they will notice if you’re asleep. Please try to be mindful of how this affects others and find another time to get that nap in; Meeting is not the place for it.
• DON’T skip Meeting. Meeting for Worship is a community activity and you are expected to be present just as you would be for any of your classes. Advisors count their advisees and make a note of any unexcused absences. These  can lead to a detention. If there are extenuating circumstances, feel free to talk to your advisor and let them know – that’s what they’re here for! Our community is understanding of issues pertaining to mental health and is very empathetic , but skipping Meeting just because you don’t want to go is not okay. Be respectful, be a member of our community, and join us in silence twice a week.
• DO feel free to share in Meeting! This space is one of acceptance and openness and we encourage speaking out from the silence when you feel guided to do so. Being moved in Meeting is a wonderful experience and should not be taken lightly, so use the time to share your reflections on things in your life, rather than as a time for announcements. For instance, Meeting would not be a time to share that your committee is having a bake sale, this can happen after the silence is broken with a handshake. Meeting would absolutely be a time to ask that someone you know be held in the Light. We ask that you leave space in between messages so that others may reflect on them. Do not respond, positively or negatively, to messages others have shared during Meeting as to not break the silence.
• DON’T act in a distracting manner. Distractions include: cracking your knuckles, checking your phone (no, phones are not allowed in Meeting), communicating silently or verbally to the people around you, and getting up frequently to use the bathroom or get water.

Hopefully you will keep these in mind during our Meetings for Worship on Tuesdays on Fridays. Below  are some Quaker vocabulary words that you might want to know.

Meeting for Worship: a gathering held in silence during which members of a Quaker community reflect and wait for a message from their inner Light.

Query: a question used to guide Meetings in one direction or another by allowing the group to reflect together and speak should they feel moved.

The Quaker SPICES: the principles Quakers use to guide their lives – Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Stewardship.

The Light: Quakers believe that there is that of God in everyone and call that of God which we share the Light. The Light can also be referred to when asking that someone be held in the light, which is more or less the inclusive term for asking that someone be held in the thoughts of the community.