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Summer and Spirituality

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Recently, I signed on to experience Living Deeply: The Art and Science of Transformation in Everyday Life (www.livingdeeply.org), a workshop based on the book of the same title by Marilyn Mandala Schlitz, Cassandra Vieten, and Tina Amorok on June 6-8. Schlitz, Vieten, and Amorok are leaders in the scientific study of transformation. Since altruistic transformation through ecstatic experiences with the divine is at the core of my Ph.D. research, this workshop is a natural and valuable selection for me. But this is more than an academic exercise. The workshop promises to combine rigorous inquiry, group dialogue, and direct experience about the kinds of transformations in consciousness that dramatically and permanently change a person’s worldview to one that is more loving, kind, compassionate, and connected to others. Through this, there is an opportunity, I believe, to experience some deep transformations first hand.

     But, you’ll read more about that in my next (after-the-experience) column. Signing up for this adventure got me to thinking about summer time and vacations. We often plan exciting adventures that take us to distant places, but there are also vacation opportunities that help us visit another exciting place that is so far and yet so near—our inner spirit. My Internet exploration revealed many of these opportunities. Here are just a few of them:

RetreatFinder.com (www.retreatfinder.com): According to this site, “When you find inner peace, you move the world toward peace.” RetreatFinder.com is a search directory site designed to guide you to find the personal or group retreat that suits you. The site spans the spectrum of spiritual and healing traditions. For example, the home page features categories that sort retreat centers by location (U.S.- Midwest), by faith (Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Interfaith), by environment (desert, island, mountain, lake), by activity (arts, family, health), and by whether a retreat is gay or pet friendly. Click on a retreat center and you’ll be given contact, overview, and contact information, etc. There is also a link to a center’s website, if they have one.

Findthedivine.com (www.findthedivine.com): Finding the Divine is a directory of spiritual retreats, religious retreats and conference centers. It’s particularly good at listing retreat centers by state. Most, but not all, seem to be Catholic or Christian.

Oakwood Retreat Center at Rainbow Farm (www.oakwoodretreatcenter.org): Oakwood Retreat Center is located in east central Indiana , just east of Muncie . It is a host facility for retreats and group events in a setting that features meadows, trails, woodlands, and organically farmed fields surrounding the dwellings and meeting spaces with sacred presence. Recent retreats included “Ladies’ Spring Fling Drum Thing” and “Chi-Lel QiGong for Health, Longevity, Creativity & Mental Clarity.”

Atman Well-being (www.atmanwellbeing.com): Atman Well-being, run by enlightenment coach Masaru Kato, is located in Schaumburg , Illinois . Kato states, “our desire and intention is to open, soften, and expand your being for your optimum wellness and fulfillment.” The center offers an Infinite Consciousness Seminar, a two day retreat of self-transformation.

Self Realization Meditation Healing Centre (www.bbonline.com/mi/roselake): This center, located in Bath , Michigan , is dedicated to Meditation Foundation, Transformation Hatha Yoga, Natural Spiritual Healing and Progressive Counseling. Recent retreats included a Silent Retreat and a Pure Meditation Course—Raja/Kriya Yoga. A Yoga and Meditation Weekend is scheduled for June 21–22.

Windhorse Retreat Center (www.windhorseretreat.org): Windhorse Retreat Center (WRC) is located in a beautiful glacial area adjacent to the 15,000 acre Kettle Moraine State Forest , less than one hour north of Milwaukee , Wisconsin . Built in the 1970s as a state-of-the-art passive solar house, it is now home to WRC, a retreat center affiliated with Shambhala International. One program, scheduled for August 15–22, is Summer Weekthun. This is a one-week long intensive practice program that includes sitting and walking meditation, private interviews with a qualified meditation instructor, and lectures. There will also be a few scheduled days of silence and some yoga practice during the program. 

GilChrist (www.fetzer.org/GilChristGuestInfo.aspx): GilChrist, the Fetzer Institute's public retreat center, is located on 67 acres of woods and rolling fields in Three Rivers, Michigan, and is adjacent to several other retreat centers, including The Hermitage and St. Gregory's Episcopal Abbey. GilChrist provides a nurturing environment for contemplative practice. Recent events included Nature and Mystical Experience, a workshop in which participants deepened their mystical union with Mother Nature through practicing techniques from the ancient “root people” of the Andes Mountains .

Miracle Distribution Center (www.miraclecenter.org): This not technically a summer retreat, but for those of us who try to live by the Course in Miracles, the 30^th Anniversary International Conference on A Course in Miracles is certainly about spiritual transformation. Join Beverly Hutchinson, Marianne Williamson, Gerald Jampolsky and Diane Cirincione, Steven Halpern, and Jacob Glass as the 30th anniversary of the founding of Miracle Distribution Center is celebrated. The conference takes place on September 6–7 in Irvine , California .

My advice: Getting away from it all to one of these or the many other retreat centers is almost guaranteed to nourish your spirit, as well as your mind and body. If you can’t physically get away, however, make sure that you find the time and space right where you are for this type of exploration—after all, we’re talking about getting in touch with your inner spirit—and that’s something you have with you wherever you are.

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Mary Montgomery is a certified web author and developer. Her company, Montgomery Media Enterprises (“Freelancing with Finesse!”), specializes in public relations, writing projects and web authoring, development and publicity, especially in the non-profit sector. Ms. Montgomery has a Master’s Degree in religious studies from Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS) and is working on a Ph.D. with a focus on the new scholarship of Unlimited Love and the Other Regarding Virtues. Contact her via e-mail at monty764@sbcglobal.net.

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