by Barbie Urias
My Comrade Brian Flagg sent me on the second week of July 2015 to an eight day retreat in Los Altos Hills, California, a Jesuit Retreat Center. The retreat was based on spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. The exercises are for prayer, reflection, and spiritual direction. I was able to attend this retreat after I became jealous when Brian went for the third time to this Jesuit retreat center. I had wanted to attend a good retreat myself. So Brian said I could attend the next year. And I did.
The Jesuit retreat center was a catholic haven for me. I did not expect it to be so catholic; since Brian had been there three times. What made it heavenly there was daily mass, two hours of adoration (being in the presence of God in the Eucharist) and along with outdoor locations with memorials and statues of saints, rosary mysteries and the Way of the Cross to pray and/or reflect with. I was in a religious heaven. I knew when I had to leave I would have an experience to remember.
At the start of my day I had a spiritual director (Naomi Meyer) and she would give me the message of the day with a scriptural meditation to reflect on throughout the day.
The retreat center has 38 acres of land where you have plenty of time for hiking and walking along paths on the hills. This is how I spent my time in silence and became close with Jesus and Mary.
The trail paths had places to sit. I would reflect, pray, read and write. the atmosphere is totally engulfed with nature that at times in my silence I could hear the wind speak to me with the birds singing and visits from Mother Nature’s rabbits and a deer.
During this time of discernment I became aware that I had to do some healing in my life. not just physical but also emotionally. By becoming a better listener in silence, I have learned to slow down and breathe more deeply and just live in the present.
I became aware each day how loved I am by God our Creator. My gratefulness more and more everyday by acknowledging all the gifts in my life with each message and scriptural meditations I received.
During my silence I was allowed by my spiritual director to read two books by the same author Richard Rohr. the first book titled Falling Upward and the second book title A Lever and a Place to Stand. These books gave me a better view of myself and society. So in this chaotic world that I live in the message of the retreat is BE STILL MY SOUL, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS.
What I take from this retreat I now have a soul full of peace, tranquility and joy, for my heart it is ready to face the world with its new passion, strength, courage, and love for the world I live in.
UN RETIRO DE OCHO DÍAS
por Barbie Urias
traducción por Alicia Nuñez
Fui a un retiro de silencio de 8 días este mes en Norte California. Brian me lo recomendó. Fue basado en los ejercicios espirituales de San Ignacio. Estaba celosa de Brain porque el asistió este retiro 3 veces antes que yo. !Este año me toco a mi!
El Centro de Retiro Jesuita fue muy católico. Hubo misa cada día, 2 horas de adoración, Santo Rosario, y viacrucis.
Al empezar el día hablaba con mi guía espiritual (Naomi Meyer) y ella me daba el mensaje del día con una cita bíblica para meditar durante el día.
El Centro de retiro tiene 38 acres y teníamos mucho tiempo libre para poder caminar alrededor. Así es como pase mi tiempo en silencio y llegue a estar mas cerca de Jesús y de Maria.
Las veredas por donde caminaba tenia bancas para sentarse, yo reflexionaba, oraba y escribía. La atmósfera estaba llena de la naturaleza y en mi tiempo de silencio podía escuchar el viento, el cantar de las aves y la visita de la madre naturaleza, conejos y venados.
Durante el tiempo de discernimiento, me di cuenta que hay cosas en mi vida que tengo que sanar, física y emocionalmente. Escuchando mas en el silencio, he aprendido a tener calma y respirar profundo y solo vivir el presente.
Estoy consciente cada día de cuanto dios me ama, mi gratitud creció mas y mas cada día cuando supe todos los regalos que el me a dado en mi vida con los mensajes y las meditaciones de las escrituras que recibía al comenzar el día.
Durante mi silencio tuve permiso de mi guía espiritual de leer dos libros del autor Richard Rohr. El primero fue Falling Upward y el segundo A Lever and a Place to Stand. estos dos libros me dieron una mejor manera de conocerme a mi misma y a la sociedad. Lo que aprendí de este retiro es a tener paz, tranquilidad, y gozo, ahora mi corazón esta listo para enfrentar al mundo con pasión fortaleza, coraje y amor.