Did Someone Say "Retreat"?

Here in the Northeastern part of the US, the world is opening back up again at the same time that ferns are unfurling new fronds. Flowers, having pushed forth from the soil, are now bursting with blossoms. When the ground feels hard and frozen, it can be a challenge to sense into the potential that lies beneath. Now, surrounded by growth, we can begin to imagine the possibilities for our own growth and adventure that are becoming available again.

And so we find ourselves thinking of retreat. Not a retreat back to the cold and closed-in world we’ve just stepped out of, but meditation retreat. I’ve often struggled with the fact that chances to spend a period of time in silence and practice are called “retreat”, since the experience feels more like discovery of new territory and expansion into new awareness. True, we’re turning inward, but the result can often be a much more deeply felt connection with the world in its largest sense. But “retreat” is the word commonly used, so we’ll use it. The invitation, as always, is to find a word that speaks to you.

So let’s back up and talk about what exactly a meditation retreat is. “Retreat” is a term used to describe a period of formal meditation practice, usually done in a different location than one normally finds oneself, usually for anywhere from a half a day to, on the more extreme end, several months, and often in silence. It can be done in solitude, or in the presence of others.

Pre-COVID, CMP offered one-day retreats twice a year, in the fall and the spring, and we’re now in the process of exploring (with great optimism and joy!) offering a fall retreat again this year. When we offer retreats, we invite people to join us around 8:30 AM. We spend the first half an hour getting to know each other, getting settled and setting an intention for the day. At 9AM, retreat participants begin a period of social silence that will last until 3PM. During that time, there is a series of guided meditations that balance heart-opening and mind-focusing practices, mindful movement and physical stillness. At the end of the meditation period, we leave social silence gradually through dialogue and sharings.

Giving oneself a block of time to disconnect from the day-to-day and reconnect with what lies deep within us is a generous gift. Often, it provides us with the chance to see some of the limiting beliefs we hold about ourselves (“I could never stay silent for 6 hours!” is a common one : )), and to sense into more accurate understandings of our own resilience and capacity for grace and poise. We can come to appreciate the deep sense of connection we have with the world at large and the tools we have for engaging with it. In short, in the silence, there is space for us to re-connect with and remember the incredible wisdom we hold within.

If a meditation retreat is of interest to you, stay tuned while we sort out the details for a fall retreat. There are also other retreat centers in the area that may begin offering in-person retreats again shortly, in particular, Garrison Institute, Copper Beech Institute, and Omega Institute.

We look forward to being in-person with you for retreat, and, in the meantime, hope that you can join us for our call-in, Zoom and outdoor sessions, each of which is really its own mini-retreat! And as always, we appreciate your support so that we can continue offering programs like these. (You can check out some of our upcoming programs on the Events page!)

May all beings find time and space to reconnect with the wisdom that lies within them,
Your CMP Family