Post-retreat highs and lows

[Grace_and_Glory]

I was on a retreat last weekend. It was a retreat for people who had already been on previous retreats, and I learned that nearly everyone seems to get a post-retreat “high.” They feel great and find it easy to pray. I, on the other hand, get a post-retreat low. I feel bad, often on the verge of tears (or past the verge), and it becomes harder for me to want to pray because something about praying makes the sadness come closer to the surface. It doesn’t matter how good I felt before or during the retreat, or how much or little it seemed like God was doing on the retreat, but I always get a post-retreat low. Does this happen to anyone else? Could it just be the way God works in me, or could it be Satan’s way of trying to discourage me, or could it just be something about my psychological makeup? I know, it’s a tough question to ask you who don’t really know me, but I’d like some opinions.

 

[Joey1976]

I went to a conference this weekend in Steubenville at Franciscan University and i started to come down from the high on Sunday when i got back from the weekend conference. The reason is started to feel low is because i missed all the people at the conference. I do not attend school there, i am 28 and I graduated from Bowling Green State University and now and getting my masters at Walsh University. But i wish i would have gone to Franciscan. I love it!! I was at The Defending the Faith Conference this weekend and it was AMAZING. It is great to see soo many Catholics on Fire for their Faith!!! So many young people too that are on Fire for their Faith and are TRULY CATHOLIC!!! I shared so many great experiences with people like myself who love the Faith and are excited about it becuase we have discovered the TRUTH. I am starting to come down from my high from this weekend and am a little sad because i miss it so much. Now i am home and back to normal life and i do not have anybody near me that are Truly Catholic and trust the Faith and are excited and on fire for it. I have no one to talk to about the things that really excite me about Catholicism. Most people just don’t care and don’t understand why i am soo on fire for the Catholic Church and Jesus. I wish i knew alot of people like the people at this conference and like all the students at Franciscan. I wish i went there!!! All of you who go there are truly blessed to be part of such a great family.

 

[puzzleannie]

Grace and Glory:

I was on a retreat last weekend. It was a retreat for people who had already been on previous retreats, and I learned that nearly everyone seems to get a post-retreat “high.” They feel great and find it easy to pray. I, on the other hand, get a post-retreat low. I feel bad, often on the verge of tears (or past the verge), and it becomes harder for me to want to pray because something about praying makes the sadness come closer to the surface. It doesn’t matter how good I felt before or during the retreat, or how much or little it seemed like God was doing on the retreat, but I always get a post-retreat low. Does this happen to anyone else? Could it just be the way God works in me, or could it be Satan’s way of trying to discourage me, or could it just be something about my psychological makeup? I know, it’s a tough question to ask you who don’t really know me, but I’d like some opinions.

this is a very common reaction to any emotionally and/or spiritually intense event. it comes when we depend on our emotions and feelings as a guide to our actual spiritual state, or the benefit we received from this spiritual exercise. in reality, emotions are a very poor indicator of the value of the spiritual exercise to our growth in closeness with Jesus.

The retreat itself is not the beginning and end of the “event”. The reflection, meditation and prayer we do after the retreat are even more important, as that is how we discern “what really happened” and what it means, and how it has helped (or hurt) our spiritual growth.

at the retreat you were introduced to certain ideas, scripture readings and interpretations, ways of praying and reflecting etc. What you do with what you learned, how you digest it and incorporate what is good and valuable in your spiritual journey is more important than “what happened there”.

the sadness you speak of could be the virtue of compunction, a natural and desireable effect of the retreat, and the movement of spirit that comes when we confront our actual state of sinfulness as we stand before God, and the difference between what we want to do for Him, and what we actually do. It is a stage of spiritual growth, and you should take this to your director for guidance.

 

[Grace_and_Glory]

puzzleannie:

this is a very common reaction to any emotionally and/or spiritually intense event. it comes when we depend on our emotions and feelings as a guide to our actual spiritual state, or the benefit we received from this spiritual exercise. in reality, emotions are a very poor indicator of the value of the spiritual exercise to our growth in closeness with Jesus.

The retreat itself is not the beginning and end of the “event”. The reflection, meditation and prayer we do after the retreat are even more important, as that is how we discern “what really happened” and what it means, and how it has helped (or hurt) our spiritual growth.

at the retreat you were introduced to certain ideas, scripture readings and interpretations, ways of praying and reflecting etc. What you do with what you learned, how you digest it and incorporate what is good and valuable in your spiritual journey is more important than “what happened there”.

the sadness you speak of could be the virtue of compunction, a natural and desireable effect of the retreat, and the movement of spirit that comes when we confront our actual state of sinfulness as we stand before God, and the difference between what we want to do for Him, and what we actually do. It is a stage of spiritual growth, and you should take this to your director for guidance.

Thanks for the advice. I definitely agree that the retreat itself is not the beginning or end of the ‘event.’ This past retreat I went on wasn’t an emotional high for me, nor did I feel like something amazing was happening. I felt like God was speaking to me during the retreat, but I often feel like He speaks to me through events in my everyday life, so I didn’t feel like it was something unusual or extraordinary. The retreat was intended just to refresh and re-energize the participants, but there wasn’t anything I learned on the retreat that was new to me. That’s one reason I was so surprised to get the post-retreat low.
I definitely will take this to my director. I try to use these forums to get a feel for how ‘normal’ my reactions are and to get some general advice, but then I go to my spiritual director for specific advice and more personal problems.
Thanks again.

 

[y2daddy]

Joey1976:

I went to a conference this weekend in Steubenville at Franciscan University and i started to come down from the high on Sunday when i got back from the weekend conference. The reason is started to feel low is because i missed all the people at the conference. I do not attend school there, i am 28 and I graduated from Bowling Green State University and now and getting my masters at Walsh University. But i wish i would have gone to Franciscan. I love it!! I was at The Defending the Faith Conference this weekend and it was AMAZING.

I was at Defending The Faith as well. My wife and I aren’t Catholics, although I was raised Catholic, so some of the talks went way over her head. But Kimberly Hahn had a tremendous impact on her and I’m hoping that this is the beginning of an interest in Catholicism for her. As for me, the conference made me realize that Catholicism is what I want, or rather what I need whether I want it or not.

 

[Joey1976]

y2daddy:

I was at Defending The Faith as well. My wife and I aren’t Catholics, although I was raised Catholic, so some of the talks went way over her head. But Kimberly Hahn had a tremendous impact on her and I’m hoping that this is the beginning of an interest in Catholicism for her. As for me, the conference made me realize that Catholicism is what I want, or rather what I need whether I want it or not.

I am sooo happy for you!!! Franciscan University has had a huge impact on my coming back to the faith also. It is soo good to know the TRUTH!!!