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WHAT IS AN INDIVIDUALLY GUIDED
RETREAT?
The difference between an
Individually Guided Retreat and a preached retreat is
that there is no specific input in the Individually
Guided Retreat. Retreatants are responsible for their
own retreat, and the retreat guide is a companion.
Together they try to listen to what the Spirit is saying
within the retreatant and to discern the spiritual
direction the retreatant is being called into. We
suggest a minimum of 2 or 3 complete days (plus arrival
and departure day) for an Individually Guided Retreat.
The background of the individually
guided retreat is silence: silence to enable retreatants
to listen to what God is saying to them. Apart from the
daily meeting, for the rest of the day retreatants pray,
reflect and generally organise the day so that they can
listen deeply to what is going on. This is the ‘subject
matter’ of the next day’s meeting with the retreat
guide...
THE RETREAT GUIDE
The retreat guide is available for
about half an hour each day of the retreat, and during
this time the role of the guide is to listen to what the
retreatant has to share about what is going on within.
Very often this may mean things that are occupying mind
and heart from ordinary life experience. It is not
primarily about sharing holy thoughts and ideas, though
this may of course be part of it. Nor is the role of
the guide to advise or tell the retreatant what to do.
TIPS FOR THE RETREATANT
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On beginning your Individually
Guided Retreat, try to relax and enjoy the
experience of having this period for God and
yourself. Notice what comes into your mind.
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We recommend that retreatants do
not bring work to do or books to read, as these are
well-known ways to escape from hearing the Word
within.
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Contemplative activities can be
very helpful e.g. gardening, walking, drawing,
painting, sewing or knitting, listening to
reflective music.
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During the Individually Guided
Retreat pay attention to your dreams and feelings.
Write down simply in a notebook anything that seems
interesting or important to you.
DOING AN INDIVIDUALLY GUIDED RETREAT
AT TURVEY ABBEY
We often recommend that people
wanting an Individually Guided Retreat go to a retreat
centre rather than come to us. We are a monastery, and
we do not have a rule of silence in our guest-houses
because people come to monasteries for all kinds of
reasons, not always for retreats. So guests coming to
Turvey for Individually Guided Retreats have to be able
to protect their own silence and space and avoid
talkative fellow-guests. We can arrange for meals to be
taken separately in silence, but at other times it is up
to the guests to preserve their silence. This does not
suit everyone, which is why we recommend retreat
centres, where everyone is usually making silent
retreats at the same time. However, on the plus side, we
have a living community here and a regular rhythm of
monastic prayer which can form the structure of the day
for the retreatant and this is a tremendous advantage.
The choice is up to each guest who applies. Because of
this, the Individually Guided Retreat is not suitable or
helpful to everyone. Some people need talking and input
as much as—or more than—they need silence. The
Individually Guided Retreat is for people who are able
to be alone and to deal with what is going on in their
inner world, with the retreat guide as their companion.
See also ‘Spiritual
Direction’
PRIVATE VISITS
It is also possible to come for a
private visit for any length of time, even as short as
one day, and to ask to speak to someone. You would then
be able to talk to them, and you would offer a donation
for their time in addition to the donation for a day
visit. We are a self-supporting community, and the time
devoted to guests is one of the main ways we earn our
living. For more information about private visits, see ‘Retreats
and Courses’.
For any queries, information and
booking, contact:
‘INDIVIDUALLY
GUIDED RETREATS’
TURVEY ABBEY
TURVEY
BEDFORDSHIRE
MK 43 8DE
TELEPHONE:
01234 881432
E-MAIL:
listening@turveyabbey.org.uk
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