The Gift Of Retreats

My favourite retreat ever has been this year’s Claiming Hope: Creative Healing Retreat. It was an opportunity to bring whatever needs we had for healing to Jesus in creative prayer times that used all sorts of mediums.

We began reflecting on where we were unfree and God’s intention for us, using artists inks and collaging scriptures. This was a fun uncontrollable medium that helped us become more free, childlike and experimental, which is healing in itself. We moved onto smashing coloured tiles with hammers, which most people found surprisingly therapeutic as we reflected on what needed to be smashed in our lives and reshaped into something new. Turning these pieces into a beautiful mosaic was innately contemplative and meditative.

The retreat included quite a bit of free time to walk and experience the beautiful environment here as well as a chance to use the sacrament of reconciliation and experience healing ministry. There was also an option to have a go at making a pot on a pottery-wheel reflecting on Jeremiah 18. Talks and sharing from the MGL Sisters, designed to open our hearts to healing, and expert help from in residence artists, Kate Ng and Donna Ransom made this retreat unique and personal. Clay, colour, creativity and  prayer made a powerful combination for God to bring deep healing in a fresh way.

Judy Bowe