Silent Retreat Ideas

The idea of a Silent Retreat is daunting for some, exciting for others. Though many of us think of retreats as being held away-from-home, perhaps as some of the articles below suggest, it’s not so bad to make some alterations to fit us.
 
 
Does framing this effort as “Retreat of Silence” or “Spending the Day With God” help get over the hurdle? A recent experience yields some thoughts
  • Know Thyself, and plan appropriately
    • need the structure of a leader? find an online opportunity or a retreat center
    • like the idea of doing this on your own? give it a try!
      • maybe just part of a day to start?
      • take a “love the one you’re with” approach, staying focused while with God, avoiding other distractors for your attention
  • Using key elements of silent retreats – including from the articles below – design activities that will be meaningful to share with God
    • walking in nature (possibly camera in hand, using exercises from God Is At Eye Level or another such book?)
    • singing songs
    • reading selections from books on your bookshelves and/or recommended by others (Love Poems from God, Consolations, The Art of Worldly Wisdom, …)
    • conversation with God
    • light a candle and abide there for 5-10 minutes every hour
    • photography (with some instigation from God Is at Eye Level or other sources?)
      • take pictures
      • edit pictures
      • organize pictures
    • writing
      • diary of thoughts during silent retreat
      • perspective on life at the moment, recent experiences with God, …
    • if at your home, consider occupying a different room each hour to soak in surroundings during these “thank you God” moments; if elsewhere, look for variety of locations (or stay in the same location if that’s best, of course!)
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An internet search provides the following interesting articles…

“A silent retreat is a gift to yourself to recalibrate, to connect, to learn about yourself in a beautiful way. In such a way that you can only get when your basic needs are taken care of and you are given the time, space, and instruction to meditate in silence.”

  • What is a Silent Retreat? Use This Simple Guide Before You Go by Denise Everheart “When you think of a silent retreat, do you imagine struggling to keep silent, feeling bored, or possibly wanting to escape and get back to your regular routine? You’re not alone. A lot of people believe that they could never do a silent retreat, and so they never try one.”

Some of the reported benefits of silent retreats include:

    • Reduced stress and anxiety levels

    • Lowered blood pressure

    • Improved sleep

    • Enhanced intuition and decision making

    • Better problem solving

    • Increased energy levels

    • More joy and enthusiasm in life

A vipassana silent retreat is built up of six elements…

    1. boredom (no ‘input’ like phones or books)

    2. meditation (hours and hours of it each day)

    3. hunger (fasting from noon onwards)

    4. loneliness (no socializing with anyone)

    5. fatigue (getting up at 4 AM each day)

    6. pain (yeah, your back hurts during meditation, suck it up)

“Choose activities that help you connect with God. After breakfast, if the weather is good, I head to my favorite park and grab a spot in the shade. Sometimes I like to read a Christian book; other times I like to create something artistic with chalk pastels. I also like to engage with the Bible during that time. I read a story from one of the gospels and meditate on that. Sometimes I go for a long hike, praying and worshiping God through nature. If you don’t naturally connect to God with nature, you can head to a public library or a favorite spot in your city. The point is to put yourself in places that help you connect with God and hear from him.”