Retreat Overview

In this retreat, you will explore, savor, and rest in the numinous led by media artist, author and contemplative guide M Freeman. Contemplative Rest is a practice that illuminates and nurtures participants’ somatic experiences of awe, activating intimate encounters with the numinous as resources for cultivating resiliency and peace in ourselves and in the world.

M invites participants to put the healing and softening of their own hearts in service of the collective good, for the benefit of all. This work is not about us alone, it’s about us all. To engage contemplative practice communally is, as Thich Nhat Hanh tells us, “a gift that we can offer ourselves, one another, the city, and the world.”

Who This Retreat is For

Open-hearted folks of all backgrounds are welcome. This retreat is for folks who’ve never heard of Contemplative Rest, and for those who’ve attended previous Contemplative Rest retreats. No prior experience with contemplative or meditation practices is necessary yet seasoned practitioners will find inspiration, centering, and fortification. Maybe you are seeking peace, stillness, inspiration, insight, or healing. Whatever you are seeking, bring your heart’s desire, and know you will find yourself among kindred spirits. Come solo, come with others, most importantly, come open-hearted.

What to Expect

—  You will be guided to recall experiences of awe in your life—the extraordinary, unforgettable, often fleeting moments of contact with a sense of wonder or ease.

—  We will dowse for these experiences in the exceptional times in our lives and also the everyday—the ordinary moments that turn suddenly astonishing and wondrous.

—  In guided meditation sessions, M will lead participants through exploring, honoring, savoring, and reflecting on these personal experiences of awe.

—  You will cultivate a deeper awareness of the awe in your past and present life through Cinema Divina, M’s practice of contemplative film screening.

—  You will participate in and contribute to the remarkable expansion of personal experience through community practice.

—   You will be invited to deepen your contemplative practice through writing, group sharing, and evocative listening.

—  Difference and diversity are valued, respected and hoped for.

—  Not every minute will be scheduled. Spaciousness will contribute to a necessary and precious sense of rest.

—   Following the retreat, you will have the opportunity to extend your practice with fellow contemplatives. A monthly Contemplative Rest group practice is offered on most first-Saturdays for those who have participated in at least one Contemplative Rest retreat.

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