Some of you don’t even realize
                                                  how you light up rooms, shift
                                            atmospheres, and carry inspirations 
                                                             just being you.
                                                                - Unknown

Can our mere presence in a room, without words, positively affect others? I explore this through the lens of John Lennon and Thomas Merton, examining if there's a psychophysical aspect to a possible unspoken influence. This question has been on my mind lately and I’ve wondered if such a possibility is just pure imaginative mentation on my part or if there might be something psychophysical at play? For instance, when friend or family is grieving because of the death of a loved one its often not what words we say to them that are consoling but rather it is our caring presence that consoles, just being with them.

So now let’s meet Lennon and Merton on this question.

Hunter S. Thompsons book “Hell’s Angles”, describes a situation where the Hells Angles are present in a room with others and the Angels are creating significant tension in the room. John Lennon walked in and immediately brought a sense of peace and calm to the room. While what he may have said and his celebrity status as a Beatle may have had its influence, did Lennon’s simple, wordless presence have an effect? This was apparently not an atypical case when Lennon was present. It was apparently a quality of his being. Now we go from the “secular” to the “spiritual”.

Thomas Merton was a Roman Catholic priest, Trappist monk, social activist and famous author. It’s said his last known spoken words before his tragic and accidental death alone in his hotel room were:

       ‘’Today I don't think it is what we are asked to do (explaining what God is with
       concepts) I think today it's more important for us to let God live in us that
       others may feel God and come to believe in God because they feel how God
       lives in us."

Merton spoke these words to a colleague as he walked from a conference in Thailand where he’d spoken to his hotel room where he died an accidental death by electrocution. While his words do not reference the use of spoken words or not, it does suggest the mere presence of such a person can have an effect on others regarding the existence of God. This is reminiscent of St. Francis saying, to paraphrase, speak the Gospel but use as few words as possible.

What do think? Have you had an experience as a sender or receiver? Can we have a positive effect on others merely by being present both to ourself and to others?

                      Thomas Merton