Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ALL ACTION, NO TALK
Silence has a power all its own. Be ready for some surprises when you try it. Once
you slow yourself down, you might just discover how tired your body is or how
angry or confused you are. “Most people today take a dim view of the monk's de-
sire for seclusion,” writes Matthew Kelty, a Gethsemani monk, in a pamphlet for
those considering the monastic calling. “They see it as flight and do not appreciate
the monk for fleeing. Certainly, the monk does not escape anything. It was precisely
because he was tired of running that he became a monk. Those who fear their own
depths and the deep of night had better find something to occupy or divert them.
People in flight should not come to monasteries.”
Loyola House.
This 640-acre Jesuit community in Guelph, Ontario, has been offering silent
retreats since 1964. Based on the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, the Spanish saint who
lived for ten months in a cave, this community offers everything from specialized weekends
to eight-day retreats to the full-blown 40-day Spiritual Exercises Institute. You can choose
between a directed retreat that has two brief daily meetings with a spiritual director or a
guided retreat that includes two 85-minute lectures. The dorms where you'll stay are sparse,
with a single bed, sink, small writing table, and sitting chair. Buffet-style meals are served at
specific times during the day in a large dining hall. Weekend retreats, which include accom-
modations and meals, are priced at $180 ($205 Canadian); eight-day retreats are $540 ($615
Canadian).
Loyola House,
P.O. Box 245, Guelph, ON N1H 6J9, Canada, 519-824-1250, ext. 266,
www.loyolahouse.ca.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center.
An hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge, this 400-acre
Buddhist center offers retreats of three nights to three months and is open to rank beginners
as well as experienced practitioners of
vipassana,
a meditation that calms the mind by focus-
ing on the breath. Except for daily dharma talks and one-on-one interviews with instructors,
silence reigns. Participants begin their day at 6 a.m., spend it in alternating periods of sit-
ting and walking meditation, then turn in around 10 p.m. A typical weekend retreat including
room and vegetarian meals costs $285; seven days run $850. Scholarships are available.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center,
P.O. Box 169, Woodacre, CA 94973, 415-488-0164,
www.spiritrock.org.
