Upcoming Events
This retreat, called an “Intensive Retreat” by Contemplative Outreach, provides an opportunity to deepen your established Centering Prayer practice in an atmosphere of silence and community, away from the busyness of daily life, and to allow your mind, body and spirit to surrender to God’s presence and action within. It has an educational component to immerse you both in the practice of Centering Prayer and, increasingly, in the conceptual background of the spiritual practice.
Each day there will be about three and a half hours of Centering Prayer, ranging from 20 to 30-minute periods of prayer, some back-to-back with a contemplative walk in between. In addition, participants will view videos from the Thomas Keating “Spiritual Journey” video series. Except for opening and closing times, silence will be observed throughout the retreat, including at meals. Participants can choose to remain in silence after the videos or participate in a short sharing session on the teaching.
A more detailed note will be sent to registrants before the retreat with suggestions for deepening interior silence.
Before attending the retreat, you should have an established daily practice of Centering Prayer with two 20-minute periods of prayer a day for at least six months to one year.
Place: The retreat will take place at St. Placid Priory Spirituality Center in Lacey, Washington. 500 College Street NE, Lacey, Washington 98516.Date and Time Details: Begins 7:00 PM Sunday, November 10, and ends 1:00 PM Friday, November 15, 2024.
Fee: $725.00. The fee includes a cozy private room and all meals. Breakfast is “make your own” with food supplied by the Priory (or bring your own). Lunches and dinners are in the communal dining hall.
As a Benedictine women’s monastery, the Priory offers the opportunity to join the sisters in the liturgy of the hours. You can request spiritual direction for an additional fee.
REGISTER HERE: Programs | St. Placid Priory (stplacid.org)
For more information: contact Sr. Anna-Camille Wooden at camillewooden5@gmail.com. A deposit of $100.00 upon registration will secure a place in the retreat. $50.00 is refundable if you cancel before the balance due date of October 28th. Partial scholarships are available.
Sr. Anna-Camille Wooden, OSB
Sr. Anna-Camille is a Benedictine sister in the St. Placid community where she is co-director of Oblates, assistant archivist, program presenter, community grocery shopper and part of the care team for the monastery cat. She has a long time Centering Prayer practice, is a commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer, an experienced retreat leader, and is on the Contemplative Outreach Northwest Leadership team.
>Michele Jankanish
Michele is a long-time practitioner of Centering Prayer and a commissioned presenter of the Centering Prayer Introductory Program as well as a facilitator of Centering Prayer groups and retreats. She has also served the community as Coordinator of Contemplative Outreach Northwest and a member of the Contemplative Outreach Centering Prayer Group Facilitator Support Service Team.
REGISTRATION OPEN
6 DAY (5 NIGHT) CENTERING PRAYER POST-INTENSIVE RETREAT
Sunday, March 16, 2025 (4:00 PM) to Friday, March 21, 2025 (1:00 PM)
St. Andrew’s Retreat House
7500 E. State Route 106, Union, Washington 98592
Deepen your Centering Prayer practice in an atmosphere of silence and community, away from the busyness of daily life, and allow your mind, body and spirit to surrender to God’s presence and action within.
This retreat will focus on deepening our silence and simplicity and will not include any videos or other learning material. Each full day will feature a total of about 3 hours and 50 minutes of meditation in five sessions lasting from half an hour to an hour and a half (including short contemplative walks). Except for opening and closing times, we will observe Grand Silence throughout the retreat with no conversation at any time. This is what is referred to by Contemplative Outreach as a “Post-Intensive” retreat because it is silent without an educational component.
