photograph by Grace Hues
Retreat Into Silence
With Murray Groom and Nan Goodship
September 12 - 15, 2024
Bethlehem Centre, Nanaimo, BC
“From the deep well of Silence, joy is constantly bubbling up and flowing out.” – Gunilla Norris.
“Silence is a country whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere.” – Thomas Merton
Come away to the natural peace of Bethlehem Centre, to be immersed in a rich pool of intentional silence. A retreat into Silence is a gift to your deep self – to connect with your own sacred soul within a container of spaciousness, support, and community. This is an opportunity for those with little or no experience with Silence, who are curious to discover what such a time might bring. This is also an interlude for anyone who has a long weekend and an interest to take intentional space to explore their inner life.
Our days will include an introduction to contemplative practice, morning and evening group sessions, one on one conversation with a spiritual director/companion, and extended periods of freedom to enjoy the beauty of Bethlehem Centre and its surroundings. Leaving our screens, phones, and duties behind for a short time can bring discernment and rest for our continued living. Murray Groom and Nan Goodship are compassionate and able retreat facilitators.
Cost
Standard room (with shared washrooms) $1,003.00
Cost includes accommodation, meals, community gatherings, supplies, and spiritual direction/accompaniment.
Address: 2371 Arbot Road, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
Murray Groom
is a graduate, former staff member, and one-time interim director of the Pacific Jubilee Program in Spiritual Direction. He is a practiced spiritual director and regularly co-conducts extended silent retreats at Naramata Centre in the Okanagan Valley.
Read about Murray’s spiritual direction practice here.
Nan Goodship
is an artist, spiritual director, retreat leader, and thorough Vancouver Islander. She is interested in the adaptations and evolutions we make in our lives to find joy, understand suffering, and ponder our own hearts and minds. She considers herself a contemplative and finds a daily connection to the natural world both a significant source of inspiration for art-making and a spiritual home. As far as academic training goes, she holds a BA in Japanese and Asian studies from UBC, Waldorf teacher training, certification from the Pacific Jubilee Program for spiritual direction, and a masters in interdisciplinary arts from Goddard College. Nan also considers her time as an at-home mom and in marriage as a kind of life training par excellence. It is an unfettered delight to guide others in spiritual and creative practices that have been so personally enriching.