A spiritual retreat consists of taking time away from everyday obligations to focus on prayer or meditation.
Withdrawal is the action and result of withdrawing or withdrawing (leaving an activity; getting an individual to go away; putting someone or something aside). Spiritual , for its part, is that linked to the spirit (the soul or the immaterial gift that a divinity grants to people).
The notion of spiritual retreat is used to name the practice that involves moving away for a time from daily obligations and material matters to dedicate oneself to praying or meditating .
What does a spiritual retreat consist of?
Spiritual retreat is generally considered to be a way of getting closer to God or oneself . Through concentration, relaxation and prayer, a person can let go of his earthly problems and surrender to higher matters.
From the religious sphere, this type of spiritual retreat is highly encouraged since it is considered to be a great tool to achieve a long list of benefits from the point of view of faith: it allows you to treat God with more closeness and intensity, it gives The opportunity to know him more deeply and to discover him fully helps to strengthen faith and allow it to become a guide in life...
A spiritual retreat can be done individually or together.
Main features
To achieve these objectives, spiritual retreats are developed based on a series of principles such as the following:
-They are carried out in spaces where silence prevails and where you are away from the hustle and bustle of the frenetic pace of life in the cities.
-It is necessary for the person to be as much as possible in solitude, so that they can not only listen to God but also to themselves.
-The established programming will also include talks and common meditations to learn about the different points of view of the rest of the participants, to exchange impressions, to enrich each other through the word of God...
-People who attend directly can contact the priests who are present so that they can guide them in certain aspects in which they find an answer.
-As you can imagine, masses are celebrated daily to be able to receive the Lord, to strengthen beliefs, to receive communion...
-There is also no lack of other activities such as the Via Crucis, spiritual reading or the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Participants and venues of a spiritual retreat
It should be noted that a spiritual retreat can involve both individual activities and group proposals. It is common for these retreats to be organized and promoted by religious authorities or spiritual leaders who are in charge of promoting different proposals within the framework of the retreat. In this way, group talks are developed or shared projects are undertaken among attendees.
Spiritual retreats are usually held in secluded, quiet locations to make it easier for people to focus and relax. In the places where spiritual retreats take place, peace and, on many occasions, silence usually reign. It also seeks to promote contact with nature .
It is important to keep in mind that a spiritual retreat can last from a weekend to several weeks or months , depending on the case.