Retreats

ethel would a meditative form of yoga help? I used to go to a yoga class where we lived previously and it was very gentle and the last 15 minutes or so were spent in silent meditation.
It was very uplifting, but we moved house then. The yoga class I joined afterwards was excellent and we had 10 - 15 minutes lying on our mats relaxing afterwards, but it was not as contemplative as sitting in a circle gazing at a candle flame (sounds bizarre, but it did make us feel relaxed, renewed and ready to face the world again).

etheltbags try www.thegoodretreatguide.com. I agree with annie but if you don't know anyone who's been recently it's more difficult. The Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham runs retreats as well as the pilgrimages www.walsinghamanglican.org.uk.

I would love to go on a retreat an have some time to myself.

The closest I've come is a week in a private hospital when I had a hysterectomy.

I remember the retreats I used to go on when I was at school. We weren't obliged to go, but most of us did join in and always felt so much better for the experience.
I envy you your Buddhist retreat house Annie, I know you will have come home feeling much calmer and at peace with the world.

ethelbags, do take care, there are places run by people for all the wrong reasons, I am so fortunate to live very close to the two I visit. If you have a faith try your priest/pastor , they would know a safe place . Or a convent ? Sadly many are closed now though. You don't want a place which holds lectures am and PM. Beware of those .

loopylou , do try a visit, so difficult to explain , perhaps no negativity, I really don't know, but the peace is healing , could be the silence or the love or both.

I would love to know how to find a retreat, I would love to go even just for the day. I tried googling and they all cost hundreds of pounds way out of my league. I would think if theres little to be seen or to do they would be reasonable or free. Annie please let me know how I can go on one.

Anniebach I'm quite envious; the tranquility must be as refreshing as a sparkling stream, effervescence for the soul?

Perhaps it's something I should seriously consider as someone who's never still, physically or mentally?

Tricia , I live in a very quite and beautiful part of Wales and live alone but I find going to a retreat house so different .

Hope you are not too cut off from the world

We live in a very quiet and beautiful place - it's like being in Retreat all the time. Especially husband who is like a hermit.
But since being here I've always felt we're out of touch with reality and should be more involved in the real world.

Thank you Luckygirl , I don't take a residential retreat there but I like to spend time there when I feel swamped by negative events. For residential retreats I attend an Anglican retreat house

Any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.

And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.

Thank you Galen

I have a friend who is a Buddhist and goes on residential retreats regularly - so regularly indeed that it has become a question of having to ask what "normal" life there is left to retreat from!! I am glad you enjoyed your day away Annie.

I agree that every death is a tragedy to the individuals involved and that we cannot think in terms of a hierarchy of awfulness when it comes to terrorist atrocities.

jing I couldn't agree more.
What was it John Donne said ' each man's death dimishes me for I am involved in mankind' or something like that.

It was every bit as 'bad' for god's sake!
How on earth can you even contemplate, let alone begin to measure, degrees of 'badness' in any of these horrific events starbird!

For those involved and their friends and families it must seem a nightmare.

Sorry! Got the name wrong. starbird. Extreme apologies. Of course.

(that was to daftbird)

" it wasn't 9/11"

It bloody was to the people it happened to! And their left behind loved ones!

Stupid thing to say.

I'm going to a Xmas Fair on Saturday. I went to one last Saturday too.

It was yummy nice.

Worth trying Ana !

I have a phone and a computer, but I can turn them off. Very rarely get a knock at the door!

Perhaps I should think about advertising...

No telephone, computer, knock at the door?

Sounds like my house on most days (apart from the bells!)

I found it healing, an isolated building in the mountains, no tv or radio, no talk of war, revenge etc, just the wind,rain and the bells at times , no talking, just sitting and allowing thoughts to come and go

I think it's good to take time out and get things in perspective.

Since the Paris attacks, it has dominated the news with speculation, interviews, what should be done, , etc etc. Yes it was appalling, and I feel for everyone who lost a loved one or who was hurt. But worse things have happened, it wasn't 9/11, it wasn't as bad as a crashed aircraft, or a major earthquake. The truth is that it reminds us that it could happen here, to us and our families. We have to live with that fear or find a way to accept that death can come to anyone at anytime.