Growing Silent Retreat Travel Trend

ISANTEE, Minn. — When Minnesotans think of a trip north, many may imagine an evening filled with sitting near a lake, laughing with friends, and maybe a little wine.

But Belinda and I recently drove north for a decidedly different kind of vacation. We immersed ourselves in a quiet retreat, no cell phones, no Netflix, no conversation. The key, advocates say, is to sit alone in silence for hours or even days.

Thinking about that made Belinda and I a little nervous.

Can it be done? Are you bored and ready to climb the wall?

Before we set out on our journey, we asked three Silent Retreat regulars for advice. We met with Eric Howell, Donna McNear, and Sherry Herman at the ARC Retreat Center in Stanchfield, Minnesota. It's one of more than 20 locations in Minnesota hosting a soundless retreat.

Although Howell, McNear, and Herman come from different backgrounds, they share a common belief that spending quiet time in nature is nothing short of life-changing.

“All I have to do is listen to nature,” Howell said. “And it allows me to regroup in a way, empty myself, empty my mind, empty my thoughts, and just reset.”

But he says the thought can be scary at first.

“So, in a way, you know, ‘I don’t have anything to do,’ and you have to accept that and go out and walk,” he said. Emotions begin to develop. ”

If you're a beginner like Bell and I, Donna McNear says it's best to start slow, sit quietly for just a few hours or overnight, then continue for a few days.

“I think learning to be within yourself and learning silence and reflection is lifelong personal growth. It's not always easy,” she said.

According to Sherry Herman, if you put the work into it, the results can be powerful enough to change your life.

“It changes your relationship with your mind. It changes your relationship with your emotions,” Herman said. “It changed everything for me. I have a much better understanding of who I am and what is most important to me.”

After talking about it, it was time for Belle and I to experience it. To do this, we drove to a Catholic hermitage retreat in Isanti called Pacem in Terris (Latin for “Peace of the Earth”).

The staff helped us move into one of the 19 cozy but sparse hermitages on the property. By 4pm, people had calmed down and were ready to retire into silence.

For the next 18 hours, we listened to nature, walked trails, read books, prayed, watched the sun go down, and then woke up to a beautiful sunrise.

When we met again the next morning, we both felt refreshed, relaxed, and didn't want to leave.

Tim Drake, executive director of Paycem in Tellis, said he hears stories like that all the time.

“I think most of the people who come here say things like what you're talking about, which is, to me, it's interesting how each of us is an irreproducible creation of God. ” he said. It may be due to some aspect of creation. It may be through the Bible they read. What they receive in prayer.

“When you open yourself to silence and embrace that space, something will happen. You will receive some words, some clarity, some healing.”

Belle and I both felt that peace so strongly that we decided we wanted to go again in the fall.

As we left, Drake shared his hopes for those returning to a noisy world.

“I just pray that God will call people here for whatever reason and that they will receive what they need and be able to take it back to their homes, to their workplaces, to their communities.”

“Because what the world needs is peace,” he added.

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