For many of us, taking multiple days of silence sounds intimidating, boring, or lonely. For some, it sounds like heaven! So, why take a silent retreat?
If you’re reading this, there is something in you longing for it. Maybe you can’t name it, and that’s ok. The attraction of a silent retreat comes from our depths, to experience something rare or missing. It is, in fact, a yearning for connection, for wholeheartedness, and for God. If you are interested in a silent retreat, follow that interest and give it a try–that’s where you’ll discover your why.
St. John of the Cross is credited with first saying that “Silence is the first language of God.” Since a large percentage of the people I’ve come across all wished God would speak clearly and audibly, this statement does not bring comfort to them! But the invitation in St. John’s words is to enter silence and discover that God is there, “speaking” with us in a language we have yet to learn. Through the discomfort and exhilaration of learning this new language, we become connected with God.
You can expect that the first day, or few days, you likely will be feeling your body’s need for rest. Most of us come to retreat worn out, and this is a good place to welcome the rest given us, trusting that God is providing what we need. But what do you do the rest of the time, you might ask? Practice be-ing rather than do-ing, but let yourself engage in prayer in an unforced way, and enjoy yourself. Walking, kayaking, reading, various art practices, journaling are all good possibilities. Before doing any of these, ask yourself why without judgment, just to learn what is motivating you. This is part of the gift of a silent retreat, we become clearer to ourselves as God works with us to learn, grow, and transform.
Silent retreat is an excellent practice to do when you are in a time of discernment, trying to make a decision that is not clear. In this cultivated space of quiet, the chaos and influences that abound in our lives diminishes. We can lean in to the essentials and be honest as we wait on God. A directed, silent retreat can be of real help in these situations.
On a directed, silent retreat, a spiritual director will meet with you once a day to companion you on your journey into silence and all that you encounter there. This is a place to bring your wonderings, your burdens, your hopes, your questions and together you will listen to the Spirit at work in your life.
In the end, a silent retreat is an invitation for you to quiet, to rest, to receive, to wonder, and to encounter God. If this strikes your heart as something you are desiring, join us in June for our 6-day Journey into Silence Retreat.
