Sabbatical scribblings - daily themes

Sabbatical Scribblings - daily themes

Sabbatical Scribblings is a series of periodic reflections from Tom & Marcia Hotchkiss as they travel to South Africa for a reunion retreat with Renovare Institute led by Trevor Hudson and as they walk a portion of the Portuguese Camino to Santiago de Compostela.

To finish about the retreat time, I wanted to share the daily themes we explored and the unusual way that our leader prepared us to enter into retreat. Our daily themes were: seeking, remembering, turning, listening, and knowing.   

In setting us up for our time on retreat, Trevor built a picture of a house with the elements of retreat built into it.  First, we need a foundation which comes from the community on retreat together, next we need walls which represent the openness and generosity with which we approach our retreat. The roof over the house represents the time and place and space we have to make our retreat, and the top beam of the house is the necessary confidentiality we hold for each other as we share on retreat. 

There are also necessary and essential elements within the house which aid one’s retreat like rest and sleep, silence, exercise, along with the interchange between prayer and scripture. There are also the helpful elements of writing or journaling thoughts and the discipline of noticing — seeing God’s hand at work even sometimes when it surprises us. 

Trevor’s picture of the “retreat house” with its various elements aided me in our time of retreat together. There is nothing sacred about it. It’s very practical and easy to understand and take on. Use it as you like. And consider even one or two elements which might help you in your communion with God…now and when you decide to make your next retreat with God. 

Look for more pictures on the Abbey Facebook page.

Praying for you. Blessings on your way.

Tom (& Marcia) Hotchkiss