Enjoy a time of rest in an exceptional setting
In this article
After a few days where calm, kindness, and unhurried time were the watchwords, returning to your "civilian life" can be abrupt. A fortiori if your daily routine involves commuting, a stressful job, and perhaps a few children. And even if your life is more peaceful, the break can be jarring.
So, we're sharing a few tips to navigate this transition with serenity and skillfully cultivate the fruits of your retreat. For each tip, the key is not to set the bar too high, or you risk becoming discouraged!
1. Take personal time each day
Your retreat allowed you to gain perspective on your life. Why not practice having a little daily retreat? This might help you make the heavy (or less heavy) decisions you face each day with greater clarity.
Getting into the habit of taking just five minutes a day at a specific time could help you act with more insight. Mental prayer or personal prayer for believers, meditation or introspection for non-believers. This time with yourself (and perhaps with God?) should give you assurance and confidence.
2. Away with bad habits!
Do you have a troublesome habit of not noticing your glass of Bordeaux or whiskey going down, or losing track of which pint you're on? Or maybe you're the type who doesn't realize that sleep is possible before midnight? Of course, none of this is criminal, but only if it's exceptional!
In short, your retreat was an opportunity to break free from all these bad habits. You had balanced meals at regular times, your sleep was restorative, your relationship with alcohol was moderate (even though we know that "alcohol is cool"), you kept your distance from your phone friend.
Of course, let's not kid ourselves, it's perfectly impossible to maintain the same rhythm in the abbey and in your daily life. But why not set a specific goal that follows in the footsteps of your retreat achievements? For example, you could reduce your screen time by 30 minutes a day and dedicate it to reading or cooking.
3. Share your experience with those around you
Once you're back in your daily routine, moments that seemed unforgettable during your retreat could easily fade away. To remember and keep alive the moments of grace or the highlights of your monastic experience, nothing beats sharing them with your loved ones.
Instead of relegating your abbey experiences to the forgotten corners of your memory, talk about what moved you, what struck you, what inspired you. Your conversations and personal reflection will help you identify the moments that made you come alive. Then, you'll be able to draw from your memory to get the most out of your retreat.
What's more, you might convince someone close to you to try the experience themselves!
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