In the Monty Python
movie The Holy Grail, King Arthur’s men do not use the terms
“charge” and “retreat.” Instead they use “charge” and “Run away! Run
away!” So, when I tell my wife I’m going on my annual retreat, she
always says “Run away! Run away!”
Part of me wants to
say that I’m not running away. But the truth is, I am. As a part of
modern society, a piece of me feels a little guilty about “abandoning”
my family and work and all the chores that need to be done around the
house. This is particularly acute since my retreat comes in the early
part of December. I’m also abandoning putting up lights, shopping for
gifts, and holiday parties. But perspective helps (as it always does).
Sometimes we need
to “run away” from everything.
To retreat is to withdraw, to enter seclusion. Is the holiday season a
bad time for a retreat? Maybe. But when’s a good time? Maybe the
holiday season is the perfect time to step back, take time for yourself,
and plan for the next year.
There are many
benefits to be gained from a retreat. The most obvious are Rest
and Relaxation. On the most recent retreat I attended,
the leader asked people as they were gathering together whether they'd
taken time for a nap. "What's the point of going on retreat," he
asked, "if you're not going to take a nap?"
Many people find that it takes
time--twelve hours or more--to quiet themselves and leave the world
outside, and to focus on being away from it all. And then the end
comes too quickly. We are a society completely deprived of quiet
time and solitude. Going on a retreat forces solitude upon you.
And then you become hungry for it. With luck, you incorporate
quiet time into your life.
Retreats are also a time for
thinking and planning and goal-setting. Who am I? What's my
purpose here on Earth? What do I want to do? How do I get
there from here? Focusing is very difficult without time to relax.
On a retreat you will have time to think; time to straighten out
problems; time to plan for the future; time to put things in perspective.
And perhaps time to respond to a
subtle call from God.
There are many kinds of retreats.
The first step in finding a retreat that's right for you is to consider
What’s your goal?
What kind of retreat are you looking for?
Once you begin
considering what you want from a retreat, you can start looking for one that's right for you. How do you find
one?
Most retreats have some religious or spiritual component, so the first
place to look is at the office at your church, synagogue, or temple.
There may be flyers or advertisements on a bulletin board, or someone
may know who to call.
You can also search on the Internet.
If you put the words "retreat" and your city/county in a search engine,
you're likely to come up with something. A few sites that can help
you find retreats almost anywhere are:
Just remember that
these are NOT comprehensive listings. Almost every county in
America has many retreat opportunities. You just have to look.
Can you create your
own personal retreat of one? Of course. As you might
imagine, I encourage this. But it is best to go on a guided
retreat (especially a silent one) before
you create your own personal retreat. They will provide you with
hints and tips, and probably some good readings, that will help you see
the full benefits of a retreat.
Then you can "run away"
whenever you need to.
### RFS ###
