Doing Hard Things
Attending a 10 day silent retreat and all that comes with it
When was the last time you challenged yourself to doing something really hard?
The kind of challenge that stretched your boundaries, made your heart race with anticipation and beckoned you into the unknown?
This morning I had a conversation with a dear friend who is on the cusp of embarking on an extraordinary journey - a 10 day silent retreat. Her emotions are a swirling blend of anticipation and trepidation. Bless her, she speaks of feeling nervous, of facing the vast expanse of the unknown, and of questioning how she will cope with the silence that awaits.
Have you ever been on a silent retreat? If yes, where was it? How long did you retreat for? Would you book to go again? What were the highs and lows? Would you recommend it?
To my friend, it may seem like a daunting endeavour, a leap into the abyss of the unspoken, but I see it differently. I see her about to embark on an exciting and transformative pilgrimage. A journey that promises to nourish her soul, invigorate her spirit, and reveal the profound strength that resides within her.
To be honest, I am in awe. I think she is really brave and I’m not sure I could do it.
I wish I could be more like my friend. Although I wouldn’t be able to manage without my journal. There is no doubt I could attend a 10 day silence retreat, as long as I was able to journal. I wouldn’t miss much I don’t think. I certainly wouldn’t miss my phone! What about you? What would you miss the most?
In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson…
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us”.
As my friend prepares to step into the realm of silence, I am certain that nothing but positives will come of it.
This narrative is a celebration of embracing the arduous, and of welcoming the challenges that call us. I think we should embrace opportunities like this more often. To lean into the joy of pursuing endeavours that nurture our souls and unlock the boundless potential of what lies within.
I am curious to hear all about my friends silent retreat experience. I’m keen to learn about how she felt during the day, did she sleep well, did she miss the outside world, what was it about being silent and mediating from 4am each day do to her mind and more than anything, how will she prepare herself for normal life after her 10 day retreat. I wish her the best of luck, not that she’ll need it.
Until the next time
Take care & stay safe xx
I've done silent day retreats before, but haven't worked up to any longer yet. I sort of want to but am also scared of what my mind would do in that time... I enjoyed the day ones - it meant no enforced small talk which I hate anyway! I would be intrigued how your friend finds it as well.
Is your friend doing a 10-day Vipassana retreat Tanya? I have a friend who did this in Norfolk and they described it as very hard and pretty transformational. It might be a bit cliche but doing hard things is where the gold is found, and it's so often where you specifically don't want to look.