Title is a Parks and Rec show silly reference. 😉 I know it has been a few months since I have had a chance to have a silence/solitude retreat. I think this year I have only gone a few times for these retreats. It used to be a monthly rhythm/discipline. I usually blog about my experience but the last time I wrote about it was almost a year ago.

I have been feeling overdue for awhile now. So having this quiet retreat is such a gift to my soul. I only have 3 more hours of my 24 hours so trying to savor it with lifegiving things like writing.

My mother in love is away on a trip so I am staying at her apartment.

These times away are meant to be a freeing experience and not a time of rules. Last time I had a silent retreat I also stayed here. I had tried something new. My spiritual director encouraged me to go and just listen. She advised me to leave my usual stack of books at home. She said even leave my journal and my Bible and just be present to listen to God in the silence and solitude. She said if I needed to jot a quick note down so I don’t forget- that would be fine but to try to not write during this time either. This at first seemed too hard to do. I feared I would be bored and it would be a waste of my time. Not at all!! It was a delight. I went to a fav spot, a local nature preserves. I walked and sat up there for hours. I left there at 5:00pm when it closed. I came back to my mother in love’s apartment. I ate dinner then I sat out on her balcony and just enjoyed watching the trees, birds and setting sun. Then I went to bed at like 7:30pm because I was tired. I try to actually listen to what I need when I am away on these retreats. I think I slept like 14 hours. It was what I needed and it was glorious.

This retreat I decided to bring some books, journal, Bible and my computer. I had to lean into what I felt like I needed on this trip. Our area is experiencing an excessive heat warning so chilling at a nature preserve did not sound lovely or what I needed.

I arrived here at 5:00pm. I sat and read a book til bedtime around 10:30pm. Usually I nap or go to bed early but I was enjoying this book. And what a gift to sit and read for hours uninterrupted. I took a break and ate when I was hungry. I took a relaxing, hot shower where no one needed me. No knocks on the door or little voices asking me a question. Such a delight to pick up a book and finish it all in one setting. I could not do this at home because there definitely would be interruptions and responsibilities. It was a book on wellness, Well to the Core and this was encouragement that I needed.

Typical rhythms and disciplines are paused on these retreats. I eat whatever I want. I sleep whenever I want. I slept in til 8:30am but felt sleepy so crawled back under the covers til 9:45am when I woke back up. No alarms are set. Freedom. Peace. Allowing myself to just be.

I did 15 minutes of Pilates. Lovely time well spent.

I ate breakfast then did some reading and journaling because Lectio Divina is very life giving for me. I was feeling stressed over some stuff so I decided to do 30 minutes of centering prayer. After that I ate one of those single serving Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia.

Well to the Core had some vision casting questions at the end of the book that I journaled through after the centering prayer and snack.

I texted back and forth with a couple friends. Sometimes I fully unplug and stay off of it. But this felt like a welcomed activity. I stayed off email and social media.

I thought I should take a nap. I laid down and was not really tired so I got up and did another 30minute round of contemplative prayer (check out Contemplative Outreach’s app for this). This meditative prayer is so calming.

Today has been a slow, quiet day while my husband cared for our home and our kids. He did one of the weekly calls with our youngest and his biological parents. He also took him to his weekly therapy. He also is getting dinner ready for tonight when I get home. He is such a good man. He supports this soul care for me. He does not give his time begrudgingly. He knows how much I need this and supports me wholeheartedly.

Cost of this retreat:

• Lodging: free
• Grocery run for my meals/snacks: $25
• Total cost: $25 for soul maintenance retreat: priceless