Escaping the Herd

For the past week, I have been on a spiritual retreat at the Fall Creek Abbey, an urban retreat center here in Indianapolis. Upon arrival, it was clear how overdue I was for a retreat and for some needed rest. So much so, that I found myself taking an unexpected nap before dinner on my very first day. 

I believe spiritual retreats are important to give one’s mind, body, and soul a break from everyday life and its related stresses. Sadly, I began this retreat much like the SpaceX capsule reentering the Earth’s atmosphere early this week. I came in hot and turbulent from the previous year of pandemic, political, and social/racial craziness and literally splashed down into this welcoming and sacred space. To have a place to escape, be introspective and find healing and renewal is essential to our mental health, awareness, and spiritual journey. 

Throughout the retreat, I found my own personal sacred space on the large front porch of the Abbey. It was here each morning I would enjoy a cup of coffee while reading through a book I had chosen specifically for this time. In the first chapter, author Brian McLaren explained exactly why my contemplative side was crying out for this retreat.

Why did I need distance between me and other human beings? Because thinking, it turns out, is a social act, and to think freely, to think differently, to think independently, you sometimes need to escape from the herd. If you can’t get physical distance from your clan, tribe, herd, or hive, you’ll at least need to create some emotional distance, perhaps by retreating into a book (as you’re now doing). This need for withdrawal helps explain at least in part why contemplatives and other mystics have always upheld the value – no, the necessity – of solitude as a spiritual practice. (from Faith After Doubt)

It was clear that “escaping the herd,” was a necessity for me and helped get me back in touch with my own voice and thinking, as well as with the voice and thinking of the Divine. I look forward in the coming weeks and months to share more of what I learned at my retreat.  How might you find time to “escape your clan, tribe, herd, or hive” this week to reconnect?