Two years ago, I said yes to something I did not understand.

I had no idea what Heartspace was. I did not know what it meant to meditate, let alone what Christian meditation even looked like. I went because a friend gently suggested it might help. And I said yes because, at that time, I was desperate. I was in a dark place mentally, emotionally, spiritually. I couldn’t see the way forward. I just needed something to help me breathe again.

So I showed up.

And in the quiet, I found something I didn’t know I was looking for.

Heartspace introduced me to the practice of Christian meditation. It is unlike any form of meditation I had encountered before. It’s not about thinking of God or imagining spiritual things. It’s not even about speaking to Him. Christian meditation is a wordless, quiet resting in God. It’s about being with Him, not doing for Him. That idea alone took time for me to understand, especially as someone who used to equate faith with activity and effort.

The practice is marked by three essential qualities: silence, stillness, and simplicity. You sit. You breathe. You repeat a sacred word silently: Maranatha, which means “Come, Lord.” And when distractions come (as they always do), you gently return to the word. That’s it. But somehow, in that simplicity, something begins to shift. You begin to shift.

I’ve been meditating twice a day, morning and evening, for two years now. Not perfectly. Some days are rushed. Some days I’m restless. Some days I forget altogether. But I always return. Because even when I feel like nothing is happening, something actually is.

Over time, I noticed how the practice started shaping the way I showed up in the world. I became more present, more grounded. The attitudes cultivated in Christian meditation—inner quiet, trust, equanimity, attention, and presence—started showing up in my parenting, in my relationships, in the way I faced my own pain.

This is not a self-help routine. It’s not a performance. It’s not about becoming better at meditation. The goal isn’t even about getting anything. It’s about making space for God to simply be with us, and for us to be with Him. And when we let go of the need to perform, to speak, to impress, we begin to notice the real fruit: more patience, more joy, more kindness, more self-control. That’s when I realized that this wasn’t my doing. It was grace.

Every month, our Heartspace community is guided by the gentle and deeply thoughtful teachings of Fr. Paco, who helps root our practice in both Scripture and real life. His wisdom, paired with the regular rhythm of meditation, has given me something I never thought I’d have again: a way back to stillness.

I’m writing this is as a tribute to my last formation with my Heartspace CDO family. I’ll be transitioning to a different Heartspace group soon, and as bittersweet as that is, I look forward to continuing the journey. Because this isn’t about one group, it’s about a path I’ve chosen to walk. A way of life I’ve committed to, slowly and imperfectly.

If you’re curious, or if you’re in a place where life feels too loud or too heavy, maybe this is for you too. You don’t need to be religious or spiritual or even certain. You just need to be willing.

There are a few Heartspace communities around the Philippines, and the website www.heartspace.com.ph has everything you need to know, including contact details of the local coordinators. Reach out. Ask questions. Or just show up.

You might be surprised what silence can reveal.

– Hannah Salugsugan