Haven't we all had this experience: some electronic device won't work; we tinker and fuss and fume; finally we turn the device off, wait a few minutes, and then, voila! The gadget suddenly functions normally. As Anne Lamott observes in the quote above, this is true for people too.
Despite my peaceful, well-regulated life during Covid, I felt the need to get away and have a deeper sense of quiet, a more deliberate time of being unplugged. Because of the longing for a change of pace and a richer silence, I decided to go on a spiritual retreat. Various faith traditions celebrate going away and resting in order to draw closer to . . . the divine, God, Spirit, Ultimate Reality, the Light … pick your metaphor.
Most retreat houses are unable to accommodate guests, given the still-current pandemic. However, a retreat center located about 250 miles away from my home is open to a limited number of people. Normally the retreat house hosts 20 guests, but with Covid precautions, only 9 retreatants are permitted to attend. Fortunately, I booked the last spot available.
The retreat grounds are scenically located near a large bay. Contemplating the blue water was a special joy. Recently I learned the concept of “blue mind,” which asserts that water heals and energizes the human spirit. That's certainly true for me; my soul longs to see water. The structure of the retreat was simultaneously firm and loose: firm, in that silence would prevail except during a daily one-hour consultation with a spiritual director; loose, in that there were no other requirements.
What was the hardest part of the retreat for me? Leaving my precious new dog Sugar! I had experimented with being gone for 24 hours, leaving her at home with a trusted friend to pet-sit, and that went well. However, because I was gone for five days on the retreat—again, Sugar was at home with a caring pet-sitter—I returned to find Sugar somewhat anxious.
Nonetheless, Sugar soon forgave me, and I resumed my normal life, thankful to have had the time to be
unplugged.
