Anne’s doctoral thesis (U. of Toronto, ’94) is entitled: Seeds From Silence: The Impact of Meditation on the Lives of Five Educators – A Narrative Inquiry. This study confirmed what Anne already knew, that a daily practice of meditation alters one’s whole perspective of being alive. Her in depth interviews with four other educators produced similar findings. These people all found themselves more patient, sensitive, creative, intuitive, detached and self disciplined to name just a few of the benefits.
One investigator at the thesis oral exam commented that there was no evidence of a negative impact. Anne had to admit that the data did not reveal any negative affects. Since the mid-eighties she has attended several eight day retreats which have been transformational.(http://www.jesuits.ca/guelph) She has also participated in Buddhist retreats with ShinZen Young (http://www.ShinZen.org).
Anne practices meditation daily; she now leads a monthly meditation group as well as a “Holy Listening” support group for meditators. And she is now a spiritual guide to a number of spiritual travelers.Her meditation/study room is crammed with books about meditation and spirituality. Every book is a special friend from Steven Levine to Thich Nhat Hanh, to Sharon Salzburg to John of the Cross, to Ignatius of Loyola to Thomas Merton to Elizabeth Johnson to Julian of Norwich.