“Spring passes and one remembers one’s innocence.
Summer passes and one remembers one’s exuberance.
Autumn passes and one remembers one’s reverence.
Winter passes and one remembers one’s perseverance.”
Yoko Ono
It is amazing to come off a retreat and feel revitalized, lifted, clear in our purpose and in direct contact with God. But then, how are we six months later when the gas bill is due, the animals make messes, our co-workers make it so difficult for us to forgive them, when our autumn comes upon us?
It could seem late to be writing about our SE retreat held last Spring, but with the changing seasons and our plans to start registration for our 6th annual SE retreat, I couldn’t help reflect on what transpired at that retreat, why I am attending next year without hesitation and, the majority of participants will also return, if past history is an indicator. I was also infinitely curious to see how Dolce looked in the Fall (see pictures).
For those of you who haven’t heard about the SE retreat, it is held every year at the Dolce Center in Norwalk, CT. The grounds and buildings were originally a seminary of the “The Holy Ghost Fathers” and the long-standing spiritual intention on the property is evident. Thankfully the facility has been modernized with the latest amenities, walking trails, ponds, pools and some of the best food you have ever tasted. No onion or garlic? Hassle free for these talented chefs.
This year the online participants were added and they were most welcomed. One of the best descriptions came from one of them, stating the retreat was “Like a mini Living in Grace”. That is exactly what it feels like to me, and others commented that each year the energy keeps building. As mentioned, many folks return year after year and thus the intention of the group has produced a very sacred place. SE’s, sharing with the Traveler and experiencing the teachings of both J-R and John Morton set an irresistible tone.
“Sit down, get to your holy place, go to the temple within and say, ‘You and me, Lord. You and me.’ Take the phone off the hook, turn the beeper off, put a sign on the door that says, ‘Do not disturb, God is here.’
Sit in spiritual exercises and experience that point of convergence where the invisible Spirit comes in and touches to your physical Spirit and you are One.”
John-Roger
John opened the retreat speaking about empathy and other laws of Spirit: acceptance, cooperation and enthusiasm. He reminded us that empathy includes warmth and sharing, and that we can allow it to change us. In this, he reminded us to ‘Just close our eyes and think of God’, of sitting down, relaxing and going in. How the hours can go by as we look upon the radiance of the Lord (I believe that was from one of the J-R excerpts).
And we don’t just do all this just sitting in a training room. We have longer lunch breaks that allow us to exercise, do more SE’s or hike to reflect on our relationship with God. The grounds offer inspiration for this, and I am reminded how the intention we set in SE’s is very similar to how J-R describes Angels in nature on P. 849, Fulfilling Your Spiritual Promise:
“Angels are non physical beings that exist on every level, hold spiritual energy, and do spiritual work on those different levels of existence. One of their jobs is to praise God continuously, which is very joyful….Angels come through the devic kingdom, the realm of the nature spirits of air, water, earth and fire.”
– John Roger, Fulfilling Your Spiritual Promise p. 849.
As I crossed the back property to the main pond, I recalled John reminding us of the importance of the thoughts we hold in our mind and how we can invite the Traveler to address us – and so I did. I allowed the quiet of shuffling and falling leaves (they sound like rain at times), and the birds persistent mirth to overtake me and I was soon quiet and back in the full peace of the retreat. Just like John talked about: the forgiveness, the anointing, the opportunity for full at-one-ment…How we can have a clear, radiant, dynamic and fluid relationship with Spirit. Wow! I no longer cared that I had to wait another hour or more for the sun to reach the far side of the pond, or that I fell into the water leaning into ground that wasn’t apparently there. I simply laid down on the ground and let the experience of nature, my tone and the memories of the SE retreat flood through me.
I can only conclude that the depth of MSIA and PTS events do carry us through our seasons, our trials and tribulations, our SE’s good and dry, our learnings and releasings. Thoreau sums it up nearly perfectly:
“Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.”
If you would like to join us (and the angel devas!) next year we are collecting deposits and commitments to confirm our dates for this May. Please email Jay Winston at heartfilled42147@yahoo.com . If you have general questions you can reach me at merryhu@att.net.
“The inner guidance you may receive from Spirit within
is that small voice in the wilderness of your heart that
is telling you the truth. It’s saying, ‘I am the Beloved.
I am the one for whom you have been searching.
I am God dwelling in your heart.’
You awaken to that voice through spiritual exercises,
through contemplation, and by taking the time to be
with yourself away from the distractions and
confusions of the world.”
– John-Roger
(From: Fulfilling Your Spiritual Promise, p. 886)
Brief History of Dolce retreat Center from their website: The official name of the institution was St. Mary’s Seminary, but it was generally know as “Ferndale” because of the abundance of ferns growing on the property. Ferndale was a largely self-contained facility where the seminarians were trained to serve as missionaries under difficult conditions that would often require them to perform not only spiritual tasks but practical ones as well. Members of the community served in various capacities such as barbers, shoemakers and photographers to meet the residents’ needs.
