Making Retreat

Retreat has a long history and has a number of aspects – ἀναχώρησις (anachoresis) meaning  to go backwards, the habit of retreat, going away; as a first step, withdraw. It carries with it a sense of to a place without distractions and all that would mitigate against stillness – ἡσυχία, (hesychia) a concept that can be translated as “stillness, rest, quiet, silence”.

It is also concerned with – ἀμεριμνία (amerimnia), disengagement, freedom from care, loosening attachments.

Jesus made retreat for preparations –

“At once the Spirit sent [Jesus] out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.” (Mark 1:12)

Following busy ministry times –

 

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35); 

“After [Jesus] had dismissed [the crowds], he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was [still] there alone.” (Matthew 14:23; see also Mark 6:46)

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5:16)

Jesus took retreat in places such as gardens, desert and mountainsides. Sometimes alone or with disciples.

To make retreat is to take time aside in the flow of life’s commitments, responsibilities and demands.  It is to ‘disengage’ for a quiet, spacious time to tend to your own soul.

With an unhurried pace, there will be room for silence, Scripture, and gentle creative practices. 

Do scroll down and explore our Umbellifer retreats for those in full-time ministry and the Dùthchas (Scots Gaelic) retreats are open to all.