Today's blog entry comes at the end of two days of meeting with the Alberta and Northwest Conference Executive at the Providence Renewal Centre in Edmonton. It has been a good place to meet with pleasant and simple lodgings, good food and well appointed meeting space.
Not only is the Providence Renewal Centre a fine place to meet, it is also the home for the Sisters of Providence, a Roman Catholic women's order and a place which offers space for spiritual retreats.
Places like this are most often found within the Roman Catholic tradition, and whenever I am at one of them, the opportunity to book time and space for a spiritual retreat is one that crosses my mind.
I remember in the first week of writing this Lenten blog that I reflected on the practice of keeping a Lenten discipline and mentioned that even a few days into it, I was able to discern why someone might be attracted to living their life by following an "order of discipline". Spending even a couple of days in an environment such as this brings that reflection to mind again. Following an "order" or practicing a "rule" or "discipline" is not one that would fit well into my life, but as I said then, I kind of "get" some of the attraction. It is yet another way to achieve the same kind of spiritual deepening that is meant to happen by taking on a Lenten discipline. The same goes for a spiritual retreat. Each of these in their own way is a path towards deeper relationship with God.
I took my own little retreat today after lunch, looking for a dry path (that I could manage in my Birkenstocks) among the shrubs, trees and well groomed gardens of the Providence Centre, and while I had to do a little lawn whacking (venturing off the walk way in order to get back to my origin without retracing my steps) I did make it without having to step on any snow or even any terribly wet grass.
I was struck by just how peaceful the ten or so minutes were for me, a welcome respite from what has been a very busy and deeply engaging meeting, with significant and anxiety-filled discussion. This little walk among the gardens reminded me of other times when I've taken time to walk in the forest or other such places, and allowed me to recall how important those times are for me in my own spiritual journey. I just wish I could remember that in times when I truly need to find a place of deepness and connection with the earth. It seems most times they happen by circumstance rather than by design.Edmonton,
Thursday, March 11, 2010
