Reflections from our day of R.E.S.T. at Bon Secours

Thirteen of us travelled to the beautiful Bon Scours Retreat center on Saturday for a day of R.E.S.T. (restore, explore, sacred time).

What a wonderful place. We were made to feel at home from the minute we arrived with a sign at the end of the rod that read ‘Welcome Wilson College.’

Andrea had thoughtfully set up our space on a close in porch that had beautiful view over the countryside.

Andrea lead us in a welcoming prayer and invite us to identify the blocks that we experience in our relationship with God and throughout our lives. She asked us to welcome this naming as a means of clearing the path on our life.

“It is said that the reason a bird sitting on a hot wire does not get electrocuted is simply because it does not touch the ground to give the electricity a pathway. That is what I am asking you to do. Stay like a bird, sitting on the hot wire, holding the creative tensions, but do not be ground it by thinking of it, by critiquing it, by judging it. Actually welcome it in a positive way. Hold on to it. I think that is what Jesus was doing on the cross. He was holding all the pain of the world, at least symbolically and he refused to hate back.”

As we considered points of struggle in our lives, Andrea referred to Joan Chittister’s book, Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope and invited us to see that the gift of struggle is conversion. That though struggle we find out who God is and who we are as individual an community. How do we want to BE in the world?

The labyrinth was introduced as a means of journeying from struggle to hope. We do not walk the labyrinth with our thinking minds. We travel in with the struggle and the intention of traveling out with renewal. The work is God’s.

As we prepared to walk the labyrinth, Andrea repeated Edwina Gately’s words, ‘Waiting’

I need simply and only

to wait upon God

without expectation

and God, all longing,

moving within me

will breath in me

the music of my soul.

Our facilitator, Andrea Springer

 Painted rocks that will help create our community labyrinth on World Labyrinth Day, May 4

 Walking a Labyrinth

PREPARE

Take a moment to release and reflect

THE JOURNEY IN

Release concerns and quiet the mind

THE CENTER

Recieve what this moment offers

THE JOURNEY OUT

Review and reflect

EXIT

Carry the experience into your life 

The Labyrinth

 

Blessing Andrea used at end of retreat (from Psalm 107, Praying the Psalms by Nan Merrill)

 

Yes, attune yourselves to the small

still Voice within,

stay true to your heart's Center.

For through your inner being Truth

and Wisdom are heard;

the resource to break all bonds

is found there, too.

Has no one ever told you that

truth is written on the scrolls

of your heart,

that the Beloved dwells therein?

 

And know yourself! Let your aim be

to recognize who you are.

Aspire to live as sons and daughters

of Divine Love,

to enshrine the earth with,

divinity,

To honor all relationships as sacred, and

to live in peace and balance with

all living things.

Acknowledge the sacredness of

every path,

albeit different from your own;

In this way honor the Great Mystery

and the wonder of all life!