Spring 2023 Silent Retreat
with Murray Groom and Nan Goodship
May 4 - 7, 2023
Bethlehem Centre, Nanaimo, BC
Come away to the peace and quiet of Bethlehem Centre, where you will be immersed in a rich pool of intentional silence. With a community of like-minded seekers and supported by the able guidance of Nan Goodship and Murray Groom, you will have an opportunity to delve into the depths of your own soul and there find a new wholeness, your own sure place.
This short retreat (4 days/3 nights) is an opportunity for anyone with a long weekend to experience intentional Silence. If you already know the gift of a silent retreat or if you are curious to discover what such an experience might bring, welcome! Our days will include an introduction to a variety of contemplative practices, morning and evening group sessions, a daily conversation with your spiritual director, and extended periods of freedom to enjoy the beauty of Bethlehem Centre and its surroundings.
Silent retreat is a time to rest and discern, an opportunity to be alone in a supportive community and in nature. It is a time to deepen your spiritual journey. Step back from the wired world, from the chatter of everyday life, and experience the generative quality of meditative silence – an oasis in which to encounter that still, healing voice within, where you can be open to the movement of the Spirit.
Cost
Private room (single or double bed; shared washroom) $805.00
Lake view rooms (shared washrooms) $925.00
Cost includes accommodation, meals, community gatherings, supplies, and spiritual direction.
Starts May 4 at 3:30 pm. Completes May 7 at 1:30 pm
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-facilitates 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.