on reading of Laurence Freeman ‘monastery without walls’ in FT

Whilst one can gather a common thread of mystical or transcendental basis for religions - it might be more direct to see all interpretations and descriptions - and their derivatives - as an expression of what might be called experiential Fact. "THAT anything exists - That Awareness Is". Such Fact is not subjectively or objectively approachable via what we call the mind. Insofar as we attempt to speak of what reveals itself WITHIN the acceptance of BEING, we tend to use cultural symbols, concepts and stories, that inevitably become referred to and given currency - OUTSIDE the awareness of the Acceptance as IS, and as such, are subverted to the realm of 'interpretations and descriptions', that are invested in, believed, identified with - and part of the game of self in a world conflicted.
Meditation in the outer sense, might be whatever circumstance of intent and investment of receptivity serves to allow the restoration of perspective of wholeness of being.
To live out from a fragmented or conflicted self sense may be exciting and full of promise, for a while. But the mind spins its story and commentary upon what is essentially a dissonance of being.
No matter how many minds collude in self validating their own personal 'reality' - the underlying dissonance is active because it is 'made real' by the attempt to overcome it.
The Perspective of a direct awareness, is innocently empty of problem based identity, and inherently serves the dissolving and resolving of a problem based consciousness, one step at a time. The problem solving (and problem creating) mind wants to 'know or understand' in advance, so as to strategically 'survive and prevail' as an independent agent. So it is resistant in refusal to stop and listen and feel - without an object of reaction from which to get a reflection.
But the feeling of Being cannot be substituted for with anything that the mind can get or gain or acquire - beyond a momentary hit of peak experience. So often it is those who have succeeded in worldly terms who genuinely come to seek for a depth of wholeness, integrated being and clearly guided purpose.
To enter Silence or the resting of the mind of thinking, is always an individual willingness. One can militantly silence aspects of the mind - but the force that is applied is not receptivity, trust or recognition of the Movement of Being. But its very essence, is the releasing of the wilfulness of an wish for independent authority, and as such is an opening to a Truly Relational Being.
Within the Peace of Wholeness, is every dynamic by which we identify life - but seen from an Inclusive Perspective. In such a shift of perception, the problem may be seen as the answer - but ONLY from such a shift - because the self defining mind is an act by which all is perceived externally as separate polarized forces. Everyone knows this at some level in their life; to be in the zone, in the flow, an at-one-ness or sense of guided or supported act. But they tend to seek to get it, try and hold it and lose it. And so spend most of their life actively maintaining the conditions of distraction from the awareness of the Unified Integrated Wholeness of this and every Moment - allowed to be itself one with you.
In one way or another the shift from what does not and can not really ever work, to The Way Things Work - is natural and inevitable, because sooner or later, the game is up and one cant even pretend otherwise. Amidst the breaking through of the new one can cling to the old and take a crash course later, or recognize the Change and tune into it. Fear distorts and blinds the mind in reaction and reenactment. A means of calm is essential and desired in order to discern truly.
Wisdom cannot be stored or handed down directly, but in our own willingness of trust and receptivity, we abide IN relationship with whatever LIFE IS - and listen for that which is recognisably of a Unified Will - as our true expression. And abide in it as it abides in us.
The urgency of the call for true vision in our times is acute, but paradoxically this is a call to Be, to freely align our self under or in service of Being - and regain the integrity of honesty and trust within ourselves - as a basis for all our relationships and dealings. One step at a time, or rather, this step now.

Thankyou for your attention