Retreating has been a part of women s lives for many centuries. Ruth as she gleaned in the fields, Mary and Elizabeth as they prepared for their children, Jephthah s daughter in her two-month retreat to the mountains before her death. Women such as Julian of Norwich, Teresa of Avila or Hildegard of Bingen wrote of their inner struggles and helped the people who lived around them know of the path to God. To retreat is to find an inner balance that allows an individual to return to the daily events with a refocused and refreshed outlook. Retreats come in all shapes.
Some persons like to journal, to answer their questions in writing.
Others prefer to draw or doodle. Some like to walk or wash dishes. Others may choose to reflect on Scripture or poetry or listen to music. Prayer is essential in all retreats. Any space can be the sacred place of retreat, but some prefer a special space that speaks to their being.