Retreat Centeredness and Your Work
We’ve been digging more deeply into the various interpretations we hold of the meaning of ‘retreat centers.’
What is retreat-ness?
What is retreat centeredness?
What is centeredness?
We generated a wild collection of words and phrases when we asked our community what we’ve ‘learned about retreat centeredness’ during our Flourishing Together retreat in May 2021. This collective exploration resulted in a very rich 15-minute harvest with 60 participants sharing their thoughts in the Zoom chat box.
Using the same comments from our community, we also created the word cloud below, where the size of each word grows relative to the number of times it was shared. Noticing the centrality of certain themes helps us also pay attention to the diversity of words and ideas that are expanding outward into the periphery.
Here are a few prompts and responses from our larger conversation.
“What is the unique gift of retreat centers today?”
Love the idea of space and sacred and silence (which is what we had before COVID) somehow virtually it’s still been maintained
Finally re-opened and filled in 2 days! Shows the hunger for what retreat centers offer
New relationships as well as silence, sanctuary
The minor words like ‘counterpoint’ (complexity, two different melodies at once)
Silience -- it’s a word that means excellence in the everyday
Resilience. As we come back together, it’s about finding resilience for ourselves, participants, and for our retreat centers
Pay attention to what is emerging
All the big words and small words because every word matters
Retreat centeredness can live beyond the retreat center. Individuals can reclaim power by themselves even if they cannot visit a retreat space (retreat center for self)
Healing space (healing for our staff and for those who come to us)
How do we focus on making this a healing space, healing time, healing opportunity?
TS Eliot -- ‘the still point in a turning world’ -- retreat center not moving away or towards, but an invitation to be
Something about the physicality of our centers, and how can the still-pointedness continue to touch people who cannot come (both/and)
Didn’t see the word ‘contemplation’ in the Jamboard. Surprised to see the word ‘community’ in the word cloud -- and agree that yes, we are interconnected with our community even though people come here to get away. The retreat center is a still point at the center of community
“In this new space, what kind of help, connection, & support would allow your center to do its best work?"
Conversations around increasing access for younger generations
Time to talk and build community with those who walk the same journey, even if in a different land
Sharing special skills and spiritual practices
Community of support and expertise around connecting with and supporting more BIPOC teachers and retreatants
Tips around tech and non-tech tools that others have found helpful and affordable
View and download detailed notes, audio, and slides from our conversation on Google Drive.