As our short series on seeking silence draws to a close, I pray that you have been encouraged and blessed on your own journey. We have discussed the fact that we live in an extremely noisy world and we have discussed a few practical ways to seek silence on a daily, weekly and or monthly basis. In this final article in the series, we will discuss ways that we can seek extended periods of silence on an annual basis.
One of the best ways to seek silence on an annual basis is in the context of a spiritual retreat. Being honest, this is a new concept for me and, in an effort to be completely transparent, it is something that I have yet to plan for myself. However, I feel obliged to commend this practice to you because it is one that I would like to incorporate in my own spiritual formation. The point of a spiritual retreat is to spend time away from our normal routine for the purpose of prayer, reflection, and spiritual rejuvenation. Retreats can be embarked on your own, or with the guide of a spiritual director.
Begin with a Plan
Since this endeavor will take planning, travel, and a budget it is best to begin planning a few months or more ahead of time. First, you will need to secure a date and location. This could be at a hotel, an Airbnb, a friend’s lakehouse, or a cabin in the woods. One of the best places to plan for a spiritual retreat is at a local monastery, and I’m not kidding! Many monasteries, such as St. Bernard’s Abbey in Cullman, AL have guest space on their property for the purpose of hosting spiritual retreats. They often provide a room, meals, and even offer spiritual direction to help guide your retreat. They even invite their guests to sessions of worship and prayer throughout the day. The point of a spiritual retreat, however, is not a “mini vacation” it is a Sabbath space to block out the noise of a noisy world and listen to God
Once you have secured the date and location next, you need to plan your time. This step is crucial because if you don’t have an itinerary, then you may be tempted to simply waste your time rather than using it for the purpose of spiritual renewal. Whether your time is guided by a spiritual director or is self guided, it is best to have an itinerary. Determine how many days you plan to be on retreat (1-3 days). Plan each day of your retreat to the hour. Start when you travel, even if you are driving only a short distance. Once you get in the car to leave, you are now on retreat. Plan your meals, sleep, prayer, reading, etc.
It may be helpful to think of your retreat as a “mini monastic” experience. Plan your day around sessions of prayer. While the purpose of the retreat is silence, it needs to be structured around prayer and the reading of scripture. It may be helpful to utilize the Book of Common Prayer Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer as your guide. The 2019 BCP also includes Midday Prayer and Compline (bedtime prayer). Similar to the BCP Daily Office is the Catholic Divine Office, which is the structure of prayer used by many monks. If your retreat is at a monastery, it may be conducive to utilizing their schedule of prayer during your retreat.
In between the sessions of prayer and scripture reading extended periods of silence, utilizing the structure discussed in the previous two articles. Another great spiritual practice to include in your spiritual retreat is a prayer walk. Spend an hour or two outside in God‘s creation walking in silence. Simply enjoy being in God‘s creation, pray and listen. This can be a refreshing and rejuvenating experience. It is important not to just sit in silence while on a spiritual retreat, but to exercise the body as we also exercise the soul.
Getting Practical
You may be reading this and think “this all sounds good, but I just don’t have time”. First let me acknowledge that I fully understand. I am still in the midst of planning my own spiritual retreat. It can be difficult in the midst of family and work to set aside time for spending time away from these commitments. I also acknowledge that spiritual retreat is not something that we may be able to do annually. If you can do it once every five years, that’s great. Even if you only are able to experience a spiritual treat once in your life, that’s fine too. The point is simply to do it.
Here are a few practical ways to plan a spiritual retreat that may be more doable. If you are married, then plan a retreat with your spouse. But remember this is not an anniversary trip or a “second honeymoon” it is a space for you and your spouse to sit in silence together and ponder the Lord‘s leading in your family. Another opportunity could be during your family’s vacation by spending a half day retreat on an already planned trip. This will make planning and the schedule more doable. Again the point is to plan for This retreat as you are able for the purpose of spiritual refreshment
Once the retreat has ended, it may be helpful to debrief your experience with a spiritual director or a close friend or your spouse. Share with them your experience of how you felt while on retreat. Share with what you read and what you think the Lord was saying to you in prayer. This is an important part of the retreat experience because it will help to keep you accountable for the spiritual growth information that you experienced while on retreat. If any specific sins or sinful patterns come to mind while on the retreat, it may be helpful to discuss those with your spiritual director or a counselor who can help you provide next steps for healing.
As this series draws to a close, we here at Coram Deo pray that you have been encouraged and blessed and that you will consider implementing the spiritual practice of silence into your daily life. If you would like ideas on how to seek silence as a spiritual practice or would like to connect with a spiritual director or if you would like to have help planning a spiritual retreat you can write to us at the Contact Us page. In the meantime, we encourage you to seek moments of silence amidst a noisy world and simply sit in the presence of God.
Magna de Gloria
Photo Credit Unsplash.com
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