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smithm29
Guest
Does anybody have any experience with just heading off into the woods for a night or two to fast and pray? No fancy retreat centers or speakers- just a book (bible or holy reading), a rosary, and a sleeping bag?
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L
lastdesk
Guest
I haven’t yet, have you? But,this sounds like a radically wonderful idea. Radical is relative --but in theses times seems so. Thank you for the idea:thumbsup:
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smithm29
Guest
No, not yet. I want to do it before September, and was hoping someone here might have some advice. There is a Carmelite hermitage not far from my house, and I may try to speak with someone there before I do this, if nobody here has any experience (and maybe even if they do 
).
).
L
Luigi_Daniele
Guest
That is a really interesting idea. If you end up doing it, please let us know how it turned out.
J
JohnnyK
Guest
Sounds great! Like something St. Francis would do!
L
Luigi_Daniele
Guest
And Saint Benedict
J
Joannm
Guest
I will be doing 8 days at a monastery guest house next month. It will be completely silent, including meals by myself. While there will be other people there it is encouraged that there be little interaction.
L
LilyM
Guest
When you live on your own as I do, the occasional days where you have no work or social engagements can have a ‘retreat-like’ atmosphere to them.
Perhaps I should get into a more conscious ‘retreat’ spirit next time I have a free weekend.
Perhaps I should get into a more conscious ‘retreat’ spirit next time I have a free weekend.
B
Barzillai
Guest
No, my wife and I are not the overnight camping types, but we enjoy the goal of times alone. We like day trips to places of stillness and we spend weekend private retreats at a local monastery where we are by ourselves and follow the monks’ prayer schedule.
Theme. My advice which might help you is something we started doing last year. In the time before we go on a weekend retreat we think of a theme to study and contemplate. Sometimes my wife and I have the same theme, sometimes we each have our own. We use our theme to focus all of our time leading up to the retreat.
When we arrive at the retreat we either continue the theme for the weekend in the monastic setting or we let the events of the weekend move our focus to something new. We don’t stick with our theme if events and prayer lead us on. But when our theme at home is changed when we get to the monastery there is always a connection between the two. It is often “this is true,” and “this is another expression of that.”
So, you might start your woods retreat right now – with a theme and focus of your heart until you arrive.
Journal. You can begin keeping a journal of your time now also and while on the retreat.
A Book of the Setting. I like to take two books. One is the primary one which might be on any spiritual topic and the other is some kind of monastic history book. This second book describes monastic life, its setting, activities, structure, surrounding culture — just as an example. Reading about monastic life of the past while in the setting of an actual monastery is different from reading those types of books at home. I feel as if I can get closer to the historic reality when I read those types of books at a monastery. Reading “regular” Catholic books at the monastery is somewhat different than reading them at home, but the books describing monastic life of the past seem to come to life while at a monastery.
Because you are in the woods alone, you might find spiritual book related to that setting — alone with God away from city life. The desert fathers might be a place to look but there are many many other examples.
Have a wonderful time, blessings on your trip.
Theme. My advice which might help you is something we started doing last year. In the time before we go on a weekend retreat we think of a theme to study and contemplate. Sometimes my wife and I have the same theme, sometimes we each have our own. We use our theme to focus all of our time leading up to the retreat.
When we arrive at the retreat we either continue the theme for the weekend in the monastic setting or we let the events of the weekend move our focus to something new. We don’t stick with our theme if events and prayer lead us on. But when our theme at home is changed when we get to the monastery there is always a connection between the two. It is often “this is true,” and “this is another expression of that.”
So, you might start your woods retreat right now – with a theme and focus of your heart until you arrive.
Journal. You can begin keeping a journal of your time now also and while on the retreat.
A Book of the Setting. I like to take two books. One is the primary one which might be on any spiritual topic and the other is some kind of monastic history book. This second book describes monastic life, its setting, activities, structure, surrounding culture — just as an example. Reading about monastic life of the past while in the setting of an actual monastery is different from reading those types of books at home. I feel as if I can get closer to the historic reality when I read those types of books at a monastery. Reading “regular” Catholic books at the monastery is somewhat different than reading them at home, but the books describing monastic life of the past seem to come to life while at a monastery.
Because you are in the woods alone, you might find spiritual book related to that setting — alone with God away from city life. The desert fathers might be a place to look but there are many many other examples.
Have a wonderful time, blessings on your trip.
S
smithm29
Guest
That’s great advice; thanks!
What do you mean by “theme” and how do you go about picking one out?
What do you mean by “theme” and how do you go about picking one out?
L
lastdesk
Guest
I too am interested in your reply–I think I understand–but could you give some examples on themes–also what books do you like on the monastic life?
P
puzzleannie
Guest
well no woods and no sleeping bag, down here it is a desert experience but it is going to be someplace where I can sleep off the ground and away from the bugs. But yes for many years that has been my idea of a retreat. I make my obligatory Oblate retreat each year, and days of retreat and recollection offered for DRE’s and catechists or by the parish (actually we don’t have parish retreats unless I run them). But my personal retreat is in July, my off month, and is silent and in solitude. Where and how I achieve that varies but something organized does not do much for me anymore. I usually ask my spiritual director for a suggestion of a topic for reading and meditation, or an issue I should pray about, but that is usually something we have already arrived at mutually.
I do most often head out to retreat centers or monasteries where I can stay in a quiet place with adequate room and board but while I may meet with a priest once for confession and or discussion, and sometimes ask for some direction, in general I just go with the flow and the Holy Spirit gives me what I need.
I will be off next week, not to the monastery as I had planned, but to our new home. There is no TV, computer or phone, except my cell, but there is electricity and AC. I have to hang aroung waiting for servicemen and contractors, and have some jobs to do which will keep me active and provide a break, but will be alone and silent most of the time. And the perpetual adoration chapel is 5 blocks away.
Some years my retreat is a solo road trip, I take in some shrines or pilgrimage sites, and in the past have slept in my truck, but I am getting to old for that.
my best advice if this is new to you is to ask your confessor or director for one suggested book for spiritual reading, and one suggestion on bible passages to consider. Take nothing else except a journal. Avoid at all costs the temptation to bring several spiritual books you have been dying to read, or books that are more educational and apologetics related. One Book. One Bible. One Rosary. One Journal. your LOTH if you use it. take your phone for emergencies but keep it turned off (not on vibrate, off). If you have a family you can call a couple of times but I warn you one call is enough to throw your whole week out of whack. If you can stay some place where room and board is provided it removes some sources of distraction and worry, and will assure you live and eat simply, and probably provide a place for daily Mass and adoration. The expense will be there but a lot less than a motel or resort. NO laptop, that’s an order. your email can wait, program one of those vacation messages.
P
puzzleannie
Guest
Lifegiving Way by Esther DeWaal is a great introduction to living the rule of St. Benedict in the modern world.
but resist the urge to take books about spiritual topics, such as anything with How To in the title, this is the time to do it, not read about how others do it or how to learn to do it. you can do nicely without anything but a bible, but it is most helpful either to stick with the daily readings, or to focus on one book of the bible, usually a gospel or one of the letters. I most often just take one of the Ignatius study bible one-volume books, and don’t even take a whole bible, with that and Magnificat or shorter Christian prayer I am good for a week. I travel light, I can’t carry much weight and like to keep everything in one bag I can manage, including clothes, which I also pack lite.
by theme I mean either a book of the bible, usually a gospel as I say
or a focus on segments of the life of Christ
Incarnation and infancy
beginning of ministry
Sermon on the mount
Passion and Resurrection
Kingdom parables
Early chapters of Acts with action of the Holy Spirit
Romans, usually divided into 2 parts
or an issue arising out of dilemmas, conflicts and decisions related to your family, career or apostolate.
marriage
parenting
setting priorities
penance and contrition
discipleship and service
these are just examples but some prayer and thought before the retreat may suggest a theme.
S
SuscipeMeDomine
Guest
I’m not someone who goes camping, but I have gone on private retreats.
I’m an Oblate so the easiest thing is to go to my monastery for a few days. I like being able to join with the monks for prayers and Mass, but then the rest of my time is my own. (Frankly, it wouldn’t feel like a retreat if I couldn’t go to Mass during that time.)
I usually take my Bible and some spiritual reading, then spend my time praying, thinking, reading, walking, or wherever the Spirit leads. The chapel is open if I want to use it or I can go find a quiet place anywhere.
It’s a very peaceful place and so prayer-filled that it’s perfect for me.
I guess my point is that you can go to a monastery or retreat house and you don’t necessarily have to take part in an organized retreat if you don’t want to.
I’m an Oblate so the easiest thing is to go to my monastery for a few days. I like being able to join with the monks for prayers and Mass, but then the rest of my time is my own. (Frankly, it wouldn’t feel like a retreat if I couldn’t go to Mass during that time.)
I usually take my Bible and some spiritual reading, then spend my time praying, thinking, reading, walking, or wherever the Spirit leads. The chapel is open if I want to use it or I can go find a quiet place anywhere.
It’s a very peaceful place and so prayer-filled that it’s perfect for me.
I guess my point is that you can go to a monastery or retreat house and you don’t necessarily have to take part in an organized retreat if you don’t want to.
B
Barzillai
Guest
Hi Smithm29 and lastdesk,
Themes are idea/topics on which my wife and I focus our hearts and minds before the retreat. We do this to condition our hearts and minds. We hope that our hearts and minds that have been so conditioned in the weeks before the retreat will carry us into the retreat.
This is like the idea expressed in John Cassian’s Conferences where the Egyptian desert monk Abbot Isaac (about 400 AD) said essentially the following about prayer — the mind in prayer is formed by the condition of the mind leading up to the time of prayer.[F1] We kinda expand this idea and apply it in forming our hearts as we want them to be during the retreat.
Some examples of the themes my wife and I have used for retreats are:
— God’s will be done
— Seek beauty
— Enter the silence
— In the light
— Love
— Prayer
We begin trying to pick a theme about a month before the retreat. Sometimes we think of a theme right away and that means we have a whole month to study and contemplate our theme. Other times it takes about two weeks to select one. As we are trying to pick one, my wife and I will ask each day if we have a theme and what we have thought about. We discuss possible topics and eventually we know when we have thought of the right one.
Sometimes we both like the same one, sometimes we each have a different theme.
I generally take only two books on a retreat. One is a regular book — whatever I happen to be interested in at the time. The other is a setting book. Books for the setting are books I take to read that will be made more alive when read in the setting of a retreat.
We go to a nearby monastery and the setting book I take will be related to monasticism in some way — often a monastery. Examples of books for a monastery setting are:
Journey Back to Eden: My Life and Times Among the Desert Fathers If you read the reviews and are interested in monasticism, I think you will find you want this book.
The Wisdom of the Benedictine Elders: Thirty of America’s Oldest Monks and Nuns Share Their Lives’ Greatest Lessons I think about the monks and sisters described in this book often. This is an important book for Benedictines.
Man of Blessing: A Life of St. Benedict One of many good books about the life of St. Benedict. The details spring to life when read on the back patio of the retreat center overlooking the lake.
The View from a Monastery Many short personal stories and incidents about monks by a monk. Most end in a monastic lesson.
The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers Ancient sayings in short paragraphs. I find the small font hard to read, most people would probably not have a problem.
For going to the woods, you might want to find book written about prayer or religious travel in nature — maybe a pilgrimage book. I think your going to the woods is much closer to the way Christians used to do what we call retreats today. And pilgrimages used to be far more common than today – and I see you in that ancient tradition.
Your question about having a private retreat in the woods has sparked the idea that my wife and I might be able to go on a weekend retreat to the monastery in the next couple of months — maybe so. Great idea. Thank you!
Footnote
[F1] See Chapter III on this page of the Conferences, a key excerpt from chapter III is as follows:
“For whatever our mind has been thinking of before the hour of prayer, is sure to occur to us while we are praying through the activity of the memory. Wherefore what we want to find ourselves like while we are praying, that we ought to prepare ourselves to be before the time for prayer. For the mind in prayer is formed by its previous condition, and when we are applying ourselves to prayer the images of the same actions and words and thoughts will dance before our eyes, and make us either angry, as in our previous condition, or gloomy, or recall our former lust and business, or make us shake with foolish laughter (which I am ashamed to speak of) at some silly joke, or smile at some action, or fly back to our previous conversation. And therefore if we do not want anything to haunt us while we are praying, we should be careful before our prayer, to exclude it from the shrine of our heart, that we may thus fulfill the Apostle’s injunction: “Pray without ceasing;” and: “In every place lifting up holy hands without wrath or disputing.” For otherwise we shall not be able to carry out that charge unless our mind, purified from all stains of sin, and given over to virtue as to its natural good, feed on the continual contemplation of Almighty God.”
Themes are idea/topics on which my wife and I focus our hearts and minds before the retreat. We do this to condition our hearts and minds. We hope that our hearts and minds that have been so conditioned in the weeks before the retreat will carry us into the retreat.
This is like the idea expressed in John Cassian’s Conferences where the Egyptian desert monk Abbot Isaac (about 400 AD) said essentially the following about prayer — the mind in prayer is formed by the condition of the mind leading up to the time of prayer.[F1] We kinda expand this idea and apply it in forming our hearts as we want them to be during the retreat.
Some examples of the themes my wife and I have used for retreats are:
— God’s will be done
— Seek beauty
— Enter the silence
— In the light
— Love
— Prayer
We begin trying to pick a theme about a month before the retreat. Sometimes we think of a theme right away and that means we have a whole month to study and contemplate our theme. Other times it takes about two weeks to select one. As we are trying to pick one, my wife and I will ask each day if we have a theme and what we have thought about. We discuss possible topics and eventually we know when we have thought of the right one.
Sometimes we both like the same one, sometimes we each have a different theme.
I generally take only two books on a retreat. One is a regular book — whatever I happen to be interested in at the time. The other is a setting book. Books for the setting are books I take to read that will be made more alive when read in the setting of a retreat.
We go to a nearby monastery and the setting book I take will be related to monasticism in some way — often a monastery. Examples of books for a monastery setting are:
Journey Back to Eden: My Life and Times Among the Desert Fathers If you read the reviews and are interested in monasticism, I think you will find you want this book.
The Wisdom of the Benedictine Elders: Thirty of America’s Oldest Monks and Nuns Share Their Lives’ Greatest Lessons I think about the monks and sisters described in this book often. This is an important book for Benedictines.
Man of Blessing: A Life of St. Benedict One of many good books about the life of St. Benedict. The details spring to life when read on the back patio of the retreat center overlooking the lake.
The View from a Monastery Many short personal stories and incidents about monks by a monk. Most end in a monastic lesson.
The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers Ancient sayings in short paragraphs. I find the small font hard to read, most people would probably not have a problem.
For going to the woods, you might want to find book written about prayer or religious travel in nature — maybe a pilgrimage book. I think your going to the woods is much closer to the way Christians used to do what we call retreats today. And pilgrimages used to be far more common than today – and I see you in that ancient tradition.
Your question about having a private retreat in the woods has sparked the idea that my wife and I might be able to go on a weekend retreat to the monastery in the next couple of months — maybe so. Great idea. Thank you!
Footnote
[F1] See Chapter III on this page of the Conferences, a key excerpt from chapter III is as follows:
“For whatever our mind has been thinking of before the hour of prayer, is sure to occur to us while we are praying through the activity of the memory. Wherefore what we want to find ourselves like while we are praying, that we ought to prepare ourselves to be before the time for prayer. For the mind in prayer is formed by its previous condition, and when we are applying ourselves to prayer the images of the same actions and words and thoughts will dance before our eyes, and make us either angry, as in our previous condition, or gloomy, or recall our former lust and business, or make us shake with foolish laughter (which I am ashamed to speak of) at some silly joke, or smile at some action, or fly back to our previous conversation. And therefore if we do not want anything to haunt us while we are praying, we should be careful before our prayer, to exclude it from the shrine of our heart, that we may thus fulfill the Apostle’s injunction: “Pray without ceasing;” and: “In every place lifting up holy hands without wrath or disputing.” For otherwise we shall not be able to carry out that charge unless our mind, purified from all stains of sin, and given over to virtue as to its natural good, feed on the continual contemplation of Almighty God.”
B
Barzillai
Guest
As clarification, the prayer theme was a study of prayer in the Catechism and in the books of St. Teresa of Avila.
S
smithm29
Guest
The answers here have been very helpful- I really like the idea of choosing the theme far enough in advance to read and pray about it before the retreat. I’ve spoken with my wife about helping me prepare for this, and to my surprise, she and the kids agreed to a period of silence every day after dinner. No talking, TV, radio (etc) after dinner until 15 minutes after everything is cleaned up. I know it’s not much of a preparation, but that’s time for prayer that I didn’t have yesterday. Since she was amenable to that, she may well be willing to help me discern the rest, too.
Thanks again, everyone.
Thanks again, everyone.
L
lastdesk
Guest
Dear John/Barzillai
Thank you so much for your in-depth and very thoughtful answer. It answered questions that came up for me very specifically. God bless and again thank you.
Thank you so much for your in-depth and very thoughtful answer. It answered questions that came up for me very specifically. God bless and again thank you.
L
lastdesk
Guest
Dear smithm29
I thought of a book you might enjoy for a retreat: (Hiking the Camino 500 Miles with Jesus) written by Father Dave Pivonka (St. Anthony Press).It is in essence his spiritual diary as he hikes the 500 mile Camino–the ancient pilgrim path to the tomb of the Apostle James. It is quite wonderful, simply written with keen spiritual insights for the pilgrim of Christ. At 135 pages it might be a good companion for a retreat.
I thought of a book you might enjoy for a retreat: (Hiking the Camino 500 Miles with Jesus) written by Father Dave Pivonka (St. Anthony Press).It is in essence his spiritual diary as he hikes the 500 mile Camino–the ancient pilgrim path to the tomb of the Apostle James. It is quite wonderful, simply written with keen spiritual insights for the pilgrim of Christ. At 135 pages it might be a good companion for a retreat.
M
MtnDwellar
Guest
I have done that. It is a good practice.
I was inspired by the Native American vision quest. I did not go as far as they do. Jesus went to the garden to pray. Mohamed went to the mountains.
Go to nature and look for God.
- Status