I'm on a spiritual journey. The church happens to be the boat I'm traveling on.

~William Kent Krueger

I'm recently returned from a silent retreat at the Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, NY, the retreat title: "In Silence with Thomas Merton", with Brother Ephrem Arcement, OHC. It was wonderful, On many levels.

Thomas Merton (1815-1968) was a prolific author (over 50 books), a monk, and a mystic. He wrote mostly on spirituality, social activism, and monasticism. Examples:

“The fundamental purpose of all monastic life is…to deliver the individual and the charismatic community from the massive automatic functioning of the social machine that leaves nothing to secular talent, to chance, or to grace.”

“In a world of noise, confusion and conflict it is necessary that there be places of silence, inner discipline and peace. In such places love can blossom.”

Is the cloistered life merely to escape from the troubles and conflicts of the world to a condition of security and peace in which we ‘rest’ and ‘taste’ the consolations of intimacy with God?  Or does it mean sharing the anguish and hope of a world in crisis in which millions struggle for the rarest essentials of human existence?”

“To say I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is love.  Love is my true identity.  Selflessness is my true self.  Love is my true character.  Love is my name.”

“In silence God ceases to be an object and becomes an experience.”

And so I walked, sat, ate meals, and managed to "just be" in silence for two days. In our brief sessions on Thomas Merton with Br. Ephrem we listened, asked questions and engaged in conversation. Otherwise, we were silent.

Since retuning, it's been interesting talking about the retreat with others. Some can't imagine not talking for that long a time. Others imagine it must have been relaxing (it was!). And others aren't quite sure what to think..

I will do it again, and at this place, whose mission is hospitality. It was a spiritually revitalizing two days. Besides the sessions on Merton, there was time (so much time!) to just be. I walked the beautiful grounds, read, meditated, and just sat in silence for long periods of time looking out at the Hudson River.  I slowed way down. Amazing experience.