Great Smokey Mountains
Many years ago, I went on a weekend silent retreat. This was when I was attending the Catholic church. The retreat started on Friday evening at about 6:00 PM, and concluded on Sunday at about 1:00 PM, after Mass. During the retreat, we were not allowed to talk. Of course, there were no penalties for talking, but silence was observed. The only sounds that we heard were of the priests giving talks about every 4 hours and of them saying a prayer before each meal. The rest of the time was spent in quiet contemplation walking the grounds of the school. At first, it was very hard to be alone with my thoughts and without talking. After a day or so, it got easier. We were allowed to talk one-on-one with the priests after one of the sessions to ask questions. These sessions lasted about 15 minutes.
As it is, I prefer to spend a few minutes early in the morning, before going to work, in quietness. I like to go into the backyard, feel the breeze, and take in a new day. I also like to do it in the evening if it isn’t too warm. I don’t watch television, nor read newspapers. I prefer not to have such things enter my system, even under the guise of ‘being in the know’. Ignorance is bliss. Knowing all of these things that are going on simply leaves me unsettled.
Tuckaseegee River
It’s been about 3 years since we’ve been to Great Smokey Mountains National Park. On our first, and only, visit we stayed in a small cabin on the banks of the Tuckaseegee River in Bryson City, NC, which is just a few miles outside of the entrance to the park. I remember that there is a small trout farm nearby. There is nothing quite as tasty as fresh grilled trout. Yummy!
I’m thinking of making a return trip by myself. A silent retreat, with a twist. I will take my camera, but not the laptop. I will probably talk to people along the way, if I happen to go into town, which I probably will, but most of the time will probably be spent on the trails or roads in the park. I suppose it will be high tech retreat because I’ll have my GPS and my cell phone, but will not be taking incoming calls.
Anyway, it feels like it is time to get away for a weekend. Just me. I don’t even think that I’ll take the dog. Anybody else ever been on one?
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3 Responses to “Silence”
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I love that shot of the Tuckaseegee River. Peacefull
The river photo is stunning, Paul. I love the settings…that lazy, hazy water. Spectacular!
I attended a weekend writer’s retreat a few years back, and we spent about 12 hours in silence. Uncomfortable at first, but it turned into something unforgettable. Amazing how conditioned we are to expect noise in our lives. Silence IS golden.
Tena koe ehoa
Both images are beautiful Paul but the long/er exposure of the river looks absolutely wonderful.
I haven’t been on a retreat though I have and do equate the principle of the moment in my everyday life. There is for me an importance in having time to ones self – quiet time like what you refer too in some part.
Like you I tend to feel the morning and usually want to feel it. Its not merely just a process of waking and accepting (the morning) is there. I need to experience it first hand and I usually end up, after lying in bed to listen for a while, outside amongst the dew of morning and or in the crispness of a still morning. I actually like it more in the winter time though the moment is just that most of the time.