Minnesota Contemplative Outreach
  • Home
  • Enrichment
    • 6-Day Intensive Retreat
  • Calendar
  • Groups
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Donate
  • Centering Prayer
  • National
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

Reflections on the Fall 2013 Retreat, Villa Maria Retreat Center

10/15/2013

 
Four attendees representing two prayer groups from the Southeastern corner of Minnesota share their reflections.

From Sandy Evans:
When I first heard about the October 2013 weekend Centering Prayer retreat, I was thrilled and the best part about it was that the retreat was being held at the Villa Maria Retreat Center in Frontenac. What a beautiful place and area to hold a fall weekend retreat. Nature walks to enjoy and explore by yourself and others. Leaves changing colors and listening to birds as you walk silently along the trail. Labyrinth.

The weekend schedule was divided between Centering Prayer sessions, DVD lecture series by Sr. Maria Tasto on True Self/False Self with break out small discussion groups afterwards. Meditative Movement exercise started each morning.

Time to slow down and spend time with God! Silence and Peacefulness! Renewing and Refreshing! I left that weekend very refreshed and with a better understanding of True Self and False Self in order to live being a better person living true to myself and living in harmony with inner peace. –Sandy is a member of the St. Joseph's Centering Prayer Group in Red Wing.

From Joan Kovacs:
GRATITUDE was my word for the weekend! Gratitude for being able to be there and participate with all the fellow pray-ers, was the phrase I wrote Friday night as I started my weekend journal. During the weekend many thoughts of all the blessings in my life came to light.

Sr. Maria's discussion of Unmasking Distortions was especially meaningful for me. These discussions included a review of our energy centers and the negative forces that they can play in our life to keep us from developing our True Self and our relationship with God. The Welcoming Prayer has been a prayer that I continue to use and the retreat renewed my use of it.

Having the retreat at the Villa was a "dream come true"; hopefully there will be more retreats at this Contemplative House.
–Joan is a member of both the St. Joseph's Church and Villa Maria groups.

From Jean Magnusson:
I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to participate in the Centering Prayer Retreat held at the Villa Maria this past October. Villa Maria is the ideal setting for contemplation and prayer. The autumn colors added to the beauty of the surroundings. I enjoyed meeting people from the surrounding area. The Villa staff was welcoming and the food was plentiful and delicious.

Contemplative Outreach staff members provided a schedule that allowed for a nice balance of prayer, video presentations and discussion. The extended periods of silence added to the entire contemplative experience. I look forward to attending future retreats at the Villa.
–Jean is a member of the Villa Maria Prayer Group.

From Linda Schafer:

The Retreat at the Villa Maria October 4-6, gave me a special time to spend in my relationship to God. I felt so included, connected and drawn into the powerful presence of God by Centering prayer and reflecting with so many others. The retreat gave me such a feeling that we have so many things in common; and yet even more so is the beauty of the uniqueness and the basic goodness of each of us. We are all created with our True Self.
–Linda is a member of the Villa Maria Prayer Group.

    Presence & Action Blog

    MN Contemplative Outreach publishes articles written by, and for, practitioners.  They are designed to deepen understanding of the Centering Prayer Practice and its power to change lives.

    To have an article considered for publication, click here.

    Categories

    All
    AA
    Annual Conference
    Art
    Basics
    Being Present
    Book Review
    Carl Arico
    Consent
    CP Group
    Cynthia Bourgeault
    Daily Practice
    David Frenette
    Divine Indwelling
    False Self
    Gratitude
    Guidelines
    Heartfulness DVD
    History
    Intensive Retreat
    Lectio Divina
    Mindfulness
    Online Course
    Personal Testimonial
    Pilgrimage
    Poetry
    Prayer
    Retreat
    Richard Rohr
    Sacred Word
    Scripture
    Step 11
    St Olaf
    Susan Komis
    Thomas Keating
    Travel
    Welcoming Prayer
    Wisdom Practice

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2023
    November 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    October 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    August 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    March 2009
    July 2008
    September 2007

Copyright © 2023 Minnesota Contemplative Outreach.
Contact   Groups   Events   Resources   Donate