In returning and rest, in quietness and trust, God draws us to the silent depths of who we are in him (Isaiah 30:15).

As the contemporary teacher Fr. Martin Laird OSA writes, “We enter the land of silence [of God] by the silence of surrender.”

"The contemplative discipline of meditation...is not a technique but a surrendering of deeply embedded resistances that allows the sacred within gradually to reveal itself as a simple, fundamental fact.”

Surrendering our resistances, letting go of all that gives rise to the sense of separateness, we come into the open pastures of belonging where we are one with each other and all creation in the oneness of God.

The essence of prayer is radically simple. But it can be difficult for us to release ourselves into its healing simplicity.

The central focus of this experiential retreat will be silent meditation practice - exploring the path of interior surrender, of releasing into and resting in God through our deepening stillness and shared silence.

With help from the teachings of Julian of Norwich and Martin Laird, we will consider the subtle challenges we meet in something so simple as being still, the interior skills that develop as our practice develops, and how silence and self-forgetfulness help us to be places of peace in the world.

The retreat will be relevant and accessible to anyone searching for truth and peace, regardless of their faith, beliefs or previous experience of meditation.

The retreat begins on Friday at 4:30pm with an orientation talk and refreshments, followed by a period of silent meditation before dinner. Short talks across the weekend will be balanced with regular periods of sitting meditation, walking meditation, time for private reflection, enjoyment of the beautiful grounds and opportunities for short private meetings with the retreat leader, Chris Whittington. The retreat will finish after lunch and a closing conversation on Sunday.

Our group will have exclusive use of the newly refurbished Maribel Centre, which combines contemporary design with the tranquillity of the Convent, and a light-filled chapel. However, numbers are limited to 23 people so please book early if you would like to ensure a place.

Comments following the last residential retreat at the Maribel Centre

"It was pure magic. I’ve been going on a variety of retreats over the last 20 years, some silent, individually led and others. However, this has by far been the most valuable. It has helped enormously to grasp more deeply the essence of the practice. I loved the group chemistry and practising together was so encouraging. The venue was the perfect setting for our retreat and the food was delicious."

“The fact that this retreat was a silent retreat gave me the time and space to develop a greater interior silence, as well as the unique (to me) experience of the silence surrounding me. The unhurried, silent yet communal way of being, and being with others, has been a very precious gift for which I am so grateful."

"Being immersed in the practice for a whole weekend was hugely enabling and encouraging for my personal spiritual journey. The environment of shared silence in such a special venue was extraordinarily precious and intimate. The teaching was incredibly accessible to a wide audience and deeply engaging, shared with passion, integrity and overwhelming openness and honesty. The venue at St. Mary’s was wonderful - the food excellent, rooms spotless and the grounds most lovely - especially the water garden and all the ancient apple trees.”

Accommodation, meals and costs

There are four types of room available. The costs below are per person, include accommodation, full-board and the retreat programme:

- Single en-suite room: £310 total cost per person for the retreat
- Twin en-suite room: £290 total cost per person for the retreat
- Single room with a shared bathroom: £280 total cost per person for the retreat
- Twin room with a shared bathroom: £260 total cost per person for the retreat

Rooms will be available on a first come, first served basis. Two single en-suite rooms have disabled access - please contact us before booking should you require one of these. All meals and refreshments during the retreat are freshly prepared on site and included within the price above. If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know when booking.

If your income is limited, please don't hesitate to get in touch and inquire about whether we have any bursaries available.

Retreat schedule

A detailed schedule will be provided nearer the date of the retreat. Access to the Maribel Centre will be from 4:00pm on Friday 28^th April, ready for the first session of the retreat at 4:30pm and we will depart shortly after 3pm on Sunday 30^th April.

Travelling to the retreat

The Maribel Centre is located at the Convent of St Mary the Virgin, Denchworth Road, Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12 9AU.

- By train: Didcot is 8 miles away, with good rail links to Reading, Oxford, London and Cardiff.
- By bus: there are good bus links to nearby towns. Stagecoach West provides the main service between Wantage and Oxford with frequent buses. Thames Travel provides bus services between Wantage and Didcot via Harwell Campus and East Hanney.
- By car: Wantage is accessed via the A338 from the North and South, the A417 to the East and West. The nearest motorways are the M4 to the South and the M40 to the North.

Retreat leader

Chris Whittington is the founder of the School of Contemplative Life. He was introduced to contemplative practice at the age of 19 during a period of formation at the Benedictine monastery of Prinknash Abbey, after which he studied at the Dalai Lama’s monastery in India. Chris regularly delivers talks, workshops and retreats across the UK. For more information about Chris' formation, please click here.

Terms

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.

Many thanks to the Community of St. Mary the Virgin, Wantage, for allowing us to use their image of the Maribel Centre.