Consent to Silence from Father Thomas Keating’s work with the Centering Prayer Two instructions: prior to sitting —give an internal bow —consent to silence The internal bow knees on the ground head on the floor Consent? to silence? Consent, the lexicon says, permit, approve, agree, comply, yield or archaic, be in harmony Permit, comply, and yield exact surrender—yes, but not quite right Approve, agree closer to my inner resonance Harmony the perfume of melding Holding this, the instruction, again: consent to silence and rest in love