Retreat: Coming Home to Yourself

Sister Jackie Kingsbury and Sister Linda Reicks, PVBM successfully incorporated T’ai Chi Chih into an 8-day religious retreat format for 25 Catholic sisters in Texas last July. The retreat theme, “Coming Home to Yourself; Body, Mind, and Spirit,” was facilitated by the process of learning/practicing T’ai Chi Chih, the experience of several therapeutic massages, time to commune with nature, and rituals/prayers with body movement and energy awareness.

T’ai Chi Chih classes were scheduled in two-hour morning and afternoon sessions the first two days and two hours each morning the remaining four days. Afternoon sharing of TCC the last three days was for the sheer joy through movement and experiencing T’ai TCC as a moving meditation. The last day all saluted the rising sun as we shared TCC outside in the early morning. Both Justin’s and Steve’s videos were well used during free time.

Comments from the evaluation included:

“I loved the fact that everything was flowing–no rush, no pressure, everything optional, variety of experiences available. This retreat was a profound, deep, inner journey for me…I was amazed at the depth of my meditations with so little effort on my part. Flowing, flowing, flowing–everything always flowing was my sense.”

“I would like to frame what has happened to me this past week in reference to the Gospel. A person had been beaten, abused, robbed of self-esteem, energy and well-being. The Good Samaritan came along and helped to heal the body with oil and soothe the spirit with TLC. Last Monday I came with a tired body and a bruised and exhausted spirit. Here I found various ways to nurture my body with energy and the great outdoors, to fill my ‘being’. I call this a ‘being week’–emphasis on being, effortless effort, relaxation. What a different way to retreat–not looking at limitations as other retreats ask for. I felt this was a more wholesome, healthy way. I feel blessed and cleansed.”

“This week was a beautiful experience for me–I found my God in the deep recesses of my heart. The T’ai Chi Chih movements were a great help in centering myself and lifting up my spirits in a loving prayer. I truly experienced Joy Thru Movement.”

“With this retreat our bodies, minds, spirits, emotions, energies, concerns, other people, were woven into everything. We worked to learn the movements, helped one another learn, had quiet if we chose. We had chats or deep discussions as the moments presented themselves. I experienced a real nurturing, caring, fun, respectful atmosphere coming from recognizing and building on the fact we are body persons who experience the world only through our bodies. The retreat was up to me to choose and form. I’ve found the time here to be renewing.”

“I realize that I am one, all is connected–and when I stop trying so hard and relax, I can feel the flow, connection, unity, harmony with nature and the universe. There is peace.”