"Get thee to a monastery!" -- does anyone know the actual source of this quote? -- there are thousands of articles with that quotation but none I can find that attribute the quote to its source. I've got a feeling it might be Shakespeare but I'm not at all certain about this. Would love your help.
Whatever the source, I have followed this advice several times in my life, once for a sojourn that lasted 15 years as told in my memoir The Scent of God. Since then I’ve frequented monasteries for spiritual direction, monastic events, and retreats. This is the first time however, that I'm heading off for 10 days of complete silence.
I love silence but usually that silence is fueled by spiritual books, my computer, my journal. This time I shall be taking myself to the monastery with none of these helpmates. It’s been recommended that I bring NO books, journals, and certainly not my computer for the retreat to make the greatest impact. This is the aspect that frightens me. Book-less, journal-less, computer-less means I'll be alone with myself -- hopefully in an attitude of total listening and openness but I worry that I'll find myself in a desert without consolation, searching for the God I believe is present but of whose presence I have no proof.
One of my most deeply spiritual friends says she always takes a journal to keep track of her journey while on such retreats. This advice is tempting, but the challenge of having no support system intrigues me, and so I'm going naked as it were. On Friday, I'll sally forth with only my yoga mat, a prayer cushion, and several changes of clothing (comfortable "quiet" clothes) Clothes that don't swish or rustle, shoes that don't clatter or squeak.
I hope my beloved Gather friends will gather round me occasionally in thought as I walk this walk into a monastery naked as it were.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune named Beryl as a "Best of 2006 Minnesota Authors." Her book The Scent of God was a “Notable” Book Sense selection for April 2006 and has been nominated for a Midwest Booksellers Book Award.
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Comments: 28
According to The Quotations Page:
Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, go.
William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), "Hamlet", Act 3 scene 1
Beryl, I don't know if I could spend all that time without at least a journal to record my thoughts as I went through the days of silence. I hope you will come back and let us know if you missed your journal or books and what 10 days of silence was like for you. I for one, am jealous....I could use some silence myself to reflect upon the world around me and experience some time in which to think and reflect. God Bless!
On my long, long journey in Brazil I had a rare opportunity to spend a day in a monastery... An entry from my Journal unedited:
"Today was spent at Monasteiro São Bento as guest of Dom Basilio Penido and Dom Felix Bruneau. For one who has often stayed a distance from the church, a day in the company of the monks was a deeply moving experience.
What does one on the outside know about monks, cloisters, liturgy, Gregorian chants - Painfully little, so that you are surprised to find that life is very normal. Started at 10.30 and attended various offices with the monks, 1st at 10 to 12, then vespers at 5.30, mass (1/2 plus communion), then completa at 8.00 p.m.
Was surprised in talks with Dom Penido and Dom Bruneau to find just how involved they were with the world, though still maintaining aspects of the past as in their cells. Took my afternoon rest in a cell prepared for me: traditional monastic term for what is really a large room bereft of worldly possessions, a bed, bureau and two chairs.
Deeply moved during various services by the chants, psalms sung by choir, the melodiousness of their voices echoing in lofty 1761 church, the intonations reaching deep within oneself."
A step toward the heart and soul of my Padre Inacio Cavalcanti...
Blessings,
As John Doyle said, "Vaya con Dios, querida."
Sorry I haven't been around for awhile for you, my dear. I have only been commenting on a few of my connections--I only now read an email that you wrote me three weeks ago. My lame (but true) excuse is that I was in a depression for more than a month. Silence and meditation and yoga actually played a huge part in lifting my spirits, as well as praying throughout the day and night. And a light bromide a psychologist prescribed for me after diagnosing me for post treatment "disilusion" certainly helped as well.
I think we all need the sort of experience that you are about to undertake at least once a year. One of the greatest experiences of my life was a three day vipassana meditation I did before I moved back to Spain in 2002, and that was only three days. I 'm positive what will emerge from your silent time will be a tremendous creative period that will take you to a new level of writing (even though your writing is so superlative at this point, that is hard to envision.) You are attempting something difficult for a writer and a thinker, to remain alone with your own thoughts and the presence of God, like San Juan de La Cruz, and so you will doubtless trigger your own Dark Night of the Soul but also a sense of new beginnings, new awareness, that is what you are searching for to have decided to set up this sort of solitary, inner experience.
Even three days scared me back then, but it was worth it. However, I think of 40 days in the desert......
I can't wait to read you when you get back. And tomorrow I am going to try to read some of your articles I've missed in the last several months.
A blessing upon you, and a hug from Spain.
I am somewhat envious that Catholics have the opportunities to go to monasteries for retreats. Protestants just don't have that tradition and so we don't have the infrastructure to support those who are interested in such a practice.
Protestants do have opportunities for retreats. Catholic retreat houses usually welcome protestants and there are protestant retreat houses. ARC, for example is one located near Cambridge Minnesota. I have been on retreat there myself. And, actually, I am seriously thinking of opening up an ecumenical retreat house myself.
"Get thee to a nunnery" Hamlet says to Ophelia when he bids her to live a life of celibacy.
So I guess you are going to be celibate!!!???
John W. I am so very, very, happy that you are back as I have missed your comments and worried about you ... however on encountering your comments to others I was comforted in hearing your words which have a universal as well as personal message.
Errol, what a delightful sharing from your journal. I felt I was there with you, especially having plunged into Brazil with you in your marvelous book of the same name.
Marianne, gifts come to us in the strangest packages don't they ... a debilitating condition that resulted in great inner peace. Remember that experience and I am certain that you will find it again some day ... make space for it.
Elizabeth e. I am laughing with flit at your celibacy comment. Let's put it this way, 10 days of celibacy I can handle . . . especially when my gorgeous hubby is not there to tempt me.
Thank you Katrina for reading The Scent of God and loving it enough to want to reread it even though it walked off in your friend's hands.
And katrina, Gary is so right ... the silent retreat I am making is at a Benedictine Monastery by is an ecumenical experience. There are lots of opportunities out there. I hope you find one that will reward you will great inner blessings. Maybe we can get Gary to move ahead with his dream as there are probably many Gatherers among others who would love to seize such an opportunity to retreat.
I remember you Sharon if the going gets rough, and Clarke, your words are so true ... we take our vanity and self-love with us into such experiences -- retreats like this shove them in our faces ... perhaps in seeing them clearly they will lose some of their power.
Faith -- I'll take your thoughts and prayers with me into the experience.
Peace, Peace, Peace.
But in a more serious note - in eastern South Dakota we have a monastary and I have been there twice. I leave refreshed as a person and spiritually.
I hope you are able to share some of your experience on retreat with us. I'm unabashedly envious of the opportunity you've had to tuck yourself away into a quiet place for introspection.
Once again - a marvelous read!