Restorative Retreats

Consider a Restorative Retreat if you are:

Discerning a new direction, calling or purpose
Healing from loss
Needing rest from being a caregiver or clergy
Navigating a spiritual transition

I will help you craft a private retreat just for yourself; include a good friend, your spouse or partner; or invite a circle of kindred spirits. You and/or your group, will be the only guests at that time.

Examples of a Restorative Retreat

Think of The Guest House as a greenhouse in which you can be saturated with nutrients while being protected from harsh weather and distractions. When you make your reservation, we will discuss your preferences for meals, amenities, silence, focused conversation and spiritual support. If you desire, this is the time to request appointments with local Guest House colleagues, such as a masseuse, nutritionist or artist. Once you are here, we will adjust your rhythm as needed. Here are some retreats that have been created for others:

Individuals

Elaine is pastor of a small church. Her ministry is demanding, and she seldom has long enough chunks of time to follow her inner leadings. I made coffee at 7 a.m.; she decided spontaneously when to fix her breakfast and lunch from food I provided. After talking to set the pace, we agreed on silence throughout, including our shared dinner. She painted and journalled at will, and wandered out to Owl's Head Lighthouse with a bag lunch. She liked picking books off my shelves, and stayed up late reading. We scheduled a focused spiritual direction meeting on her last morning. "This has been a bit of heaven for me. The silence. The solitude. The conjunction of earth, sky and water. The peacefulness of this house and your presence. The small details: ornaments at the windows, helpful readings placed around, delectable dishes to please my palate. Yes! God has certainly been in the details here. Thank you!"
Glenn came seeking clarity about his calling, both in ministry and a major relationship. After agreeing to follow our individual spiritual practices separately, we scheduled three discernment conversations over 2 days. Glenn put together breakfast and lunch from house provisions; we shared a home-cooked dinner that left him evening time for reflection. Most of the scheduled and informal conversation, including a long walk, plumbed the depths of what he was questioning, noticing and wondering about the decisions he was facing. He left knowing his discernment would continue to unfold over the months ahead.
Sophie's husband had just died, and she is exhausted after years of care. Her retreat included sleeping until she felt like getting up, being served breakfast after which I cleaned up. Short meaningful readings before meals were more desirable than silent meditation. During her open day, she visited a glass exhibit at a nearby art museum, enjoyed a pre-scheduled foot massage, spent an afternoon of reading and then a nap. At 5, we had a focused conversation, after which I served, shared and cleaned up dinner. "Thank you for your thoughtful insights and compassionate wisdom. It's no wonder people come to HealingSoup for rest and rejuvenation. Thanks for listening and holding such an open and comforting space. I feel less confused, more open to developing a relationship with Spirit, in its new form, or formless. And I have some new ideas for being with my family."

Groups

Two couples from out of state came to Healing Soup for their annual retreat to mark their highlights and turning points. They ate the food I had prepared for them ahead of time, at their own pace; adventured out to a local restaurant one night,; and used their familiar format to examine where the Spirit was moving in their lives. "Thank you for sharing this wellspring of positive power and energy with us. Your yard and garden spoke to us all. Sophie the cat was a gentle and lovable cat companion. 30 minutes after we came, we decided we had to come back again. This has truly been a time to reconnect with one another and catch a glimpse of what God has in store for us. I even had blueberry pie for breakfast!"

Couples

David and Amelie each do creative, challenging community service work. They come as a couple once every year or two to reflect on how the Spirit is moving, individually and as a couple. Three days of focused conversations are interspersed with individual journaling, time alone and exploring outdoors. Their intention is to leave clearer about their inner promptings, each other's direction and their relationship restored. "David and I had our first meeting to project aspects of our life into the next year, and it was wonderful! We learned so much with you and from you. We want to thank you for the perfect time you gave us at HealingSoup."