PRIVATE MINI-RETREATS
Moving toward the best life
Featuring
Fasting (Optional)
I Am
Breath prayer
The Prayer of Recollection
Nap or Walk
Reflections on Holiness
PRIVATE MINI-RETREAT #2
LUKE 10:38-42
Featuring:
Prayer of recollection
TACS
Reality & vision
Asking why
Thought replacement
PRIVATE MINI-RETREAT #1
JOHN 6:16-21
Featuring:
Prayer of Recollection
TACS
What Needs to Change
Making Plans
LEARN MORE
Solitude and silence are great formative tools to help us become more like Christ. Sometimes, though, it can be difficult to make the space in our lives for them.
These mini-retreats are an opportunity for you to experience solitude and silence on your own, yet still be in community (in a way), as a number of us will be jumping into the same experience. I will provide a suggested format for your retreat, which you can follow as closely or loosely as you like. There are many things that you can do with your time, but nothing you have to do. If you are seasoned at pursuing solitude in your life, you may not prefer much or any guidance at all.
The guidance provided will include suggestions for scripture, spiritual practices, and activities. Each mini-retreat will showcase a practice with other supporting practices built in around it. There will be options for longer periods of time (six or more hours) and for shorter periods of time (as short as two hours) with the average target being about four hours.
Some specific ideas for how to do it:
Schedule a time for yourself and God alone. Block and protect this time as you would any other important meeting.
Let the people you live with know about your plans and ask them to help you make this happen by giving you undisturbed time. Consider trading kid-duty time with your spouse or work-duty time with colleagues, if needed.
If you are having solitude at home, pick a special place and set it up just the way you want so that it encourages the focused time you want to spend with God. It is great if you can visit a bathroom without having to interact with others. If you will be there during meal or snack times, consider having food with you so that you don’t need to leave your special place.
Set your phone to “do not disturb” mode.
If you are sheltering in place, this will likely need to be done in a private room in your home. If you have more freedom, you can also consider a hotel, a retreat center, a tent, cabin, or even a friend’s basement or backyard.
Click here to learn more about Preparing for the Spiritual Practices
Email me if you would like to receive notifications about upcoming private mini-retreats: marthastock2002@yahoo.com.
Looking for something shorter than a private mini-retreat? Click the button below to check out guided meditations to help you engage the scripture and allow it to form your life.