Over 20,000 people from all faiths in over 20 countries have already signed up to join the worldwide initiative, with businesspeople, schoolchildren, religious groups, dance groups and even 4,000 children from a refugee camp in Darfur joining in. The Religious Intelligence website reports:
The focal point of the Just This Day in the UK will be three minutes of quiet at St. Martins in the Field, in central London. Joining Elizabeth Edmunds will be representatives from the all the major faiths, including, the Bishop of Reading, Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, from the Muslim Council of Great Britain; Rabbi Alan Plancey, from the office of the Chief Rabbi; Bryan Appleyard, Vice-President and Chairman of The Buddhist Society, Mr SH Ruparell from the Swami Narayan Temple in Neasden and Brahma Charini Sumarti Chaitanya, Chinmaya Mission UK.
Mrs Edmunds says: “The noise and fast pace of life has made us prisoners in our own worlds, with little space for connecting with ourselves. Putting our mobiles and minds on silent mode for just three minutes and doing nothing will give access to stillness which I believe can truly change our own lives and the world for the better.”
The Anglican Bishop of Reading, the Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, author of the book ‘Do Nothing and Change Your Life’ which he famously publicised by handing out egg timers at a railway station, rediscovered his love for poetry in a moment of stillness. He says, “Our world is busy and in the turmoil we forget we all share the same space. Regardless of your faith, age or background, going into silent mode is something we could all do more of.”
Read it all here and silence your cell phone and your mind Wednesday at 10 a.m. GMT. Of course most in the US will be asleep so it should not be too hard.