 Spiritual: August 01, 2007 Issue [#1858] |
  Spiritual
This week: Edited by: Sophurky  
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Hi, I'm Sophurky ~ your editor for this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter. This week we'll talk about making time for "spiritual retreating."
The Rev. Scotty McLennan, author of the book Finding Your Religion, compares humanity's innate need for spiritual searching to climbing a mountain. In his view, we are all endeavoring to climb the same figurative mountain in our search for the divine, we just may take different ways to get there. In other words, there is one "God," but many paths. I honor whatever path or paths you have chosen to climb that mountain in your quest for the Sacred.  |
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The Value of Spiritual Retreats
Attending retreats has long been a valuable part of my "spiritual journeying." I have participated in different types of spiritual retreats throughout the years, and have enjoyed a variety of experiences that have enhanced my faith journey in numerous ways, in addition to increasing my writing portfolio (I tend to journal and/or write poetry as a result of most of my retreat experiences).
Currently I attend a women's retreat every April with about 30 women from my faith community. We go to a beautiful retreat center on a lake, about an hour from our homes, and our weekend is centered around a different theme each year (for instance, in past years we've focused on peace and hope, and most recently, humor). We spend time sharing with each other in large and small groups, and also have plenty of time to be alone. Our food is prepared for us, the rooms are comfortable and cozy, and we can set the busyness of our daily lives aside for a couple of days and attend to caring for and nurturing our spiritual selves. And for those of us who attend, it is an event we all look forward to every year.
Just over 10 years ago I had the opportunity to attend a spiritual writing retreat with my mother and sister, led by Madeleine L'Engle. It took place at an Episcopalian monastery in the hills surrounding Santa Barbara, CA, and the retreat was split into two parts -- the first four days were spent in silence and reflection, and the last four days were spent with some writing instruction and prompting by Ms. L'Engle, as well as time for writing, sharing, and critiquing each other's work. It was a wonderful experience, not only because my writing benefited from the time with Ms. L'Engle, but also because I spent valuable time reconnecting with my mom and sister, as well as meeting new people with similar interests and pursuits, and intentionally attending to my spiritual core.
Not all "retreating" has to be so structured or formalized. We may not be able to afford the time (or money) to go away to attend a spiritual retreat, but that doesn't preclude us from enjoying our own private retreat experiences. It might include an afternoon sitting by a lake, with a book to read or journal to write in, or maybe even just an hour in the morning, sitting outside with a cup of coffee, watching and listening to the birds as a way of meditation and centering.
It doesn't matter so much where you go or what you do -- what is important is taking the time, either in small snippets or larger chunks, to get away from our normal routines and seek a sort of spiritual refuge with ourselves, with other people, or perhaps just spending quality time with whoever/whatever we experience as Sacred. Doing so can not only be spiritually refreshing, but can also benefit your writing as well. In fact, some of the writings I found on the site that are highlighted below were directly inspired from a retreat attended by the author.
Happy Retreating!Sophurky
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I am not alone in valuing the spiritual retreat experience. Below you'll find some offerings from other WDC members, either about how they also appreciate the retreat experience, or perhaps an item written during or about a retreat. Enjoy!
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#1285554 by Not Available. |
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#1252538 by Not Available. |
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#1232500 by Not Available. |
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| |  | Retreat (ASR)
The true account of an adolescent learning a bit of tolerance.
#1256568 by jmarsico  |
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
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Thank you for the responses to my last newsletter about parable and story! 
From Wren
Thanks for all your interesting information about parables and midrash. We greatly underestimate the power of words and stories. A very good newsletter!
Thanks Wren, glad you enjoyed it! And yes, there is great power in our stories.
From canis_lupus
An interesting article. This made me think about the story of Camelot, Excalibur, The Lady in the Lake, and all that. There is a story that comes out of Korea where a turtle that lives in a lake gives one of the local kings a sword. Makes you wonder if there wasn't some common basis for both these stories. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on the Bible, when he talks about the heroes of ancient Greece points out the similarities that they have to some of the immediate descendants of Cain. In more modern times, there is the status that is conferred onto our news anchors and other journalists, not to mention some of the radio talk show hosts. I believe that this status derives from the fact that they have become our village story tellers.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful response, and especially your comment about journalists -- I hadn't thought of their work in that way before, so thanks for the new insight!
I'll be back again at the end of August as your editor -- in the meantime, I look foward to hearing from you, both in the form of comments about the newsletter, as well as suggestions for future topics for this spiritual newsletter.
Until next time! Sophurky |
| ASIN: B083RZ2C5F |
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