“Silence is God’s first language; everything else is a poor translation.”
― Thomas Keating, Invitation to Love: The Way of Christian Contemplation
Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God. My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life; when can I enter and see the face of God? My tears have become my bread,… (Psalm 42)
I’ve recently returned from a six day silent retreat at Cedarbrake Retreat Center in Belton Texas. It was the most “silent” silent retreat I have ever attended. It was a powerful followup to the guided online course that I had just finished on the Spirituality of the Twelve Steps offered on (www.cac.org).
The featured image (above) is from one of the many trails that were available in the Texas hill country.
I am at a crossroad in my life and needed a new and fresh “life-giving” path. The retreat came at a time when I needed to slow-down and get off (for at least a moment) what I call the “spinning wheel” of everyday emotions and distractions.
There were 21 people attending; 16 women and 4 men. We only spoke briefly to introduce ourselves and on the last day we offered a brief commentary of our experience and during our final meal together. I was able to let go of certain attachments and over-identifications. I had never felt such solitude with the divine indwelling Spirit, allowing me to weep as needed, and yet still be in deep communion with everyone else.
The retreat was focused on the practice of contemplative prayer practiced in the form of centering prayer as developed by Fr. Thomas Keating who spent more than seventy years in sustained practice and devotion to the spiritual life.
In the following 9min video, Franciscan priest Fr. Richard Rohr has a wonderful explanation of Contemplative Prayer.
Over the years, I have read much of Fr. Rohr’s writings. And during the retreat, I did a second reading of his book titled, Immortal Diamond – The Search for our True Self. See book recommendations for more synopsis.
The image (below) of Christ’s Ascension was the backdrop to the chapel altar. What is most profound is Christ’s outstretched and all embracing arms that gather us to him. It is a fitting symbol for my time and experience at Cedarbrake.
In closing, one of the functional benefits of my attendance was to experience and learn a structure for contemplative prayer at home. It has reinvigorated my prayer-relationship with the Beloved. I will continue to write, as the Spirit allows.
God Bless
