The Silence of Presence: awakening our subtle senses (one-day Lenten retreat)

“It may happen during prayer, or even when we are engaged in our everyday activities, that a sudden hush falls upon us, an involuntary silencing of thought, as the mind’s powers are caught and held in an inexplicable sense of presence,” writes the Carmelite Mary McCormack.

The Lenten season echoes the experience of Jesus in the desert, a time of profound communion with God. Like Jesus’ time in the wilderness, Lent reminds us to simplify our lives, creating space for deeper awareness, for the whispers of grace within us, which we might otherwise overlook.

Fasting, a traditional Lenten practice, is not just about physical abstinence but also about abstinence from distraction. As we strip away excess, our senses become more finely tuned to the sacred in the ordinary.

We are delighted to offer a day of extended meditation practice during Lent to explore the themes of silence and awakening our subtle senses to the presence of God.

A gentle flow of sitting meditation, walking meditation, and moments of shared conversation will be central to the day.

We will begin with a 15-minute orientation talk and reminder of the simple guidelines for meditation (silent prayer). Then, to support our meditation practice and appreciation of the beautiful grounds of the Abbey, two further short talks will be offered—one in the morning and one in the afternoon—connecting the practice with the opportunity which Lent offers us in our journey of awakening.

Through the day, we will practice bringing loving-awareness to all our activities. Whether we are sitting, walking, or drinking a cup of tea, we can practice living each moment deeply. Each breath can become a silent “thank you” for the gift our life and for each other- and a living encounter with the divine.

“In conscious still-prayer,” writes Maggie Ross, “we gently exclude every conscious preoccupation: activities, thoughts, distractions. We are saying no to our selves, or rather to the self-conscious illusion we have constructed and called our self, in order to say yes to God... Thus, we can also say that fasting, rightly understood, is prayer, the famous “practice of the presence of God,” or heartfulness, an opening of our hearts to the full light of God, awareness of God at every moment in our deepest being.”

We hope you can join us for this special day of sacred silence which will be relevant and accessible to anyone searching for truth and peace, regardless of their faith or beliefs.

Price and pricing policy

Tickets cost £30.  Please note that all our paid-for events are priced to simply cover costs (rather than make a profit) so they are as accessible as possible. However, we realise that even the most reasonably priced ticket can be difficult sometimes, so we invite people to get in touch if this is the case.

Retreat Leader

Chris Whittington is the Founder of The School of Contemplative Life. The charity’s vision is to help people establish peace in themselves and become places of peace in the world.

Chris was introduced to contemplative practice during several years of formation when he lived at the Benedictine monastery of Prinknash Abbey. His’ monastic teachers, including Sylvester Houedard OSB, taught meditation as a universal wisdom found within all the great spiritual traditions, a pathway to peace and solidarity with people of all faiths and none. Following an introduction by the Abbot of the Prinknash community, Chris subsequently studied at the Dalai Lama’s monastery in Dharamsala, India. Chris regularly delivers talks, workshops and retreats and has introduced meditation from the Christian wisdom tradition to thousands of people in the UK and abroad.

Words from Rev’d Dr. Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury

“I am delighted that there is a concrete opportunity for developing this new initiative in seeking to open doors into Christian wisdom for those who may have little previous awareness of its resources. This will be a chance for people of all traditions to discover new openings for growth in contemplative maturity.”

Words from Martin Laird OSA, Author of Into the Silent Land

”The School of Contemplative Life will surely rate among the most significant responses to the spiritual longings of the people of this nation and abroad through its well thought out programme of retreats, guidance and other opportunities to assist the Christian community to the wellspring of silence and compassion flowing within. Quite simply, there is no other centre in this country dedicated to cultivating the human discovery of its groundless Ground, that eternal Mystery ever hidden with Christ in God.” 

Terms and conditions

Please refer to our website for the terms and conditions associated with this event. If you need to cancel for whatever reason after booking, please get in touch with us as soon as possible and we will try to find a solution. In the event that we cannot fill your place, the cost may not be refundable.

For information about the School of Contemplative Life, please visit our website: www.schoolofcontemplativelife.com