The Power of Silence: June Silent Directed Retreat

06/18/23 - 06/24/23

1:00 pm

Host: Prariewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center 

Location: in-person

Facilitators: Lucille Winnike, FSPA; Rev. Rose Blank; Kim Seward; Deb Hansen & Ann Jackson, PBVM

Perhaps you’ve participated for years in Prairiewoods’ Silent Directed Retreats. Or maybe you have seen these advertised and considered scheduling one for yourself, but aren’t sure what a silent, directed retreat is. If you’ve made a silent, directed retreat, we welcome you back. If you’ve never made a retreat like this, we invite you to consider this question: What’s the deepest silence you’ve ever known? Silent Directed Retreats offer opportunities to enter into deep silence in order to sense what it feels like to awaken a quiet and palpable connection and deepen your relationship with the Source of All being.

Each day you will receive ongoing direction as you and a professionally-trained spiritual director listen intentionally to the movement of the Source of All Being in your heart. Listening in such profound silence assists you to get in touch with feelings, thoughts and actions as you reflect, meditate, pray and rest. The practice of this daily meeting assists in developing the capacity to discern, notice, sense the movement of the Source of All Being in light of your motivations, attachments, responses to that movement within the whole of your life. To share with a professional your divine experiences brings clarity, deepens your commitment and accountability to the direction of your life, surprises and offers insight into that direction.

At Prairiewoods, we try to hold any outside stimulation to a minimum so that everything—the silence, solitude, reflective activity, meals, etc.—supports your unique needs. A daily meditation/centering is offered. Optional reflective activities such as artwork, yoga and singing bowl meditation are available throughout the week. Even meals are eaten reflectively in silence.

Each day supports your individual needs. Stroll woods and prairie. Sense sunset quietly turn to dusk. Journal, if you choose. Nap. Engage in yoga, art expression, meditation. Notice how food nourishes our capacity for silence. Explore holding the silence with a group of others: humans, stone, tree, pond, squirrel, deer, turkey, star, moon, dawn, dusk …

Is the silence simply the absence of noise? Or is it also a presence unto itself? See for yourself! Come re-establish and remember the deep connection we share with all of the creation as we listen together to the great silence. Take time to rest in silence, to sense its wisdom, to know its fullness as it offers you life.

Sign Up By Wednesday, Jun 14 at Midnight US/Central

Click here for more information and to register for this event.