SpiritRest 2024 has come to a close

Post by Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube,
SpiritRest Lead Spiritual Director

“If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to us as it is, infinite.”  ~~Aldous Huxley

Our retreat is ending and we are not the same. In the container of silence, among a supportive community, and at a beautiful retreat center, we can let go of the way we usually face the world.

For most of us, most of the time, we don’t notice what is going on in the moment, distracted by the mental dialog that is often concerned with what we things we need to fix or figure out. With some mindfulness, which we have cultivated in these few days, we can perceive that there is a subtle, or not so subtle, fear behind this anxious narrative. And we are ordinarily not even aware of it, though it can lead us to moods, words or actions that don’t serve us.

In the meantime, outside of our usual perception, a world of infinite beauty beckons us. As the mind stills and mindfulness increases, there are moments when the song of a bird or even the sound of a passing car beguiles us. The beauty of a blossoming shrub can stop us, and we are captured by it to the extent that all sense of a separate self disappears. That is bliss and rest. And these kinds of experiences increase as the retreat goes on.

We will have to go back to the world of decisions and responsibilities today. That world might seem harsh and loud after the silence. But we now have these experiences as a part of us. And we have learned spiritual practices and perspectives that we can take with us. And many of us are looking forward to next year’s retreat.

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