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 evening at 7:00pm with an orientation talk, followed by a period of silent meditation. Short talks across the weekend will be balanced with regular periods of sitting meditation, walking meditation, time for private reflection and opportunities for short private meetings with the retreat leader, Chris Whittington. The retreat will finish on Sunday at 3pm after a closing conversation.

What people said who attended our last online retreat

"A well thought through programme giving lots of space for communal practice and private practice, plus excellent teaching and guiding all wrapped up in a compassionate and prayerful delivery. Good pre-weekend information - very informative and clear enabling planning and working out how to do retreat whilst also being at home."

"[This retreat] was exactly what I was looking for - and exceeded all expectations.  The input was rooted in the practice, and both times for meditation and content were beautifully balanced."

I valued embracing some of the wider aspects of life in meditation practice - eating and walking as well as sitting. I cherished being encouraged to think of meditation as preparation for bringing wisdom to every part of the day.  I found the one to one sessions hugely helpful."

Silence

The practice of silence will begin following the orientation talk on Friday and continue until lunchtime on Sunday.

Short talks across the retreat will be balanced with regular periods of sitting meditation, walking meditation and time for private practice. 8pm sessions on Friday evening and Saturday evening will be an opportunity for group conversation and reflection on what people have heard in the talks and encountered during their meditation in the day.

There will also be opportunities for short private meetings with the retreat leader, Chris Whittington.

Although the practice of silence may be new to some, most people find this a powerful and wonderful experience. Maintaining a quiet and peaceful environment - walking, moving, and doing things quietly – is important for our practice and a gift we can offer to each other.

To help cultivate and preserve interior and exterior silence, we suggest that you:

- Try to keep any reading to an absolute minimum during the retreat. The focus of the retreat is silent meditation practice; Try to avoid (or keep to an absolute minimum) any use of electronic devices.

- Let any others in your home or contacts who may otherwise be in touch with you, know that you are on silent retreat and ask them not to make contact unless it’s an emergency. You may find it helpful to put and an ‘out of office’ on your email so you don’t feel compelled to reply during the time of retreat.

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.

Retreat schedule

A detailed schedule is available on request. Please email info@schoolofcontemplativelife.com if you'd like a copy.

While you are encouraged to attend all the planned sessions, please don’t worry if the first session is too early for you. Bringing a gentle spirit of discipline to the retreat is good, but listen to your body and be compassionate to yourself whenever you need to.

Terms

If you need to cancel for whatever reason after booking, please get in touch with us as soon as possible and we will do our best to find a solution.