The Art of Spiritual Practice

Last week I wrote about the spiritual practice of fasting, a common Lenten practice that  mirrors Jesus’s fasting forty days in the desert.  Beyond fasting, the Lenten season is also an invitation to “go away” for a while alone and be with God-- often called a “retreat.”  This is time away from the usual schedule and demands of life in order to focus on the inner mystery of our soul and its connection to God.

While it may not be possible for you to go away for a week or even a couple of days, consider finding even one day in this season to clear your schedule and devote it to just hanging out with God—in prayer, in meditation, in Scripture, in spiritual books, in creating art, in singing or making music or dancing! Maybe it’s a walk by yourself in the woods with your mind on noticing the presence of the sacred all around you. Each person has their own graced history with God, so create a retreat that reflects your real, ongoing relationship.

I had a friend who said, “I don’t retreat on retreat. I don’t go back. I go forward on my spiritual journey!”

Pastor Marcia Wakeland is a retired ELCA pastor, a spiritual director and a listening advocate. She is interested in the actual experience of having faith and how that is lived out. She can be reached at mwakeland@gmail.com for comments or more questions Her ongoing blog of living out spiritual practices is listeninglife.live