Pilgrimage Reflections II

As I promised, I continue to unpack my experiences and insights gained from my pilgrimage to Bonnevaux Benedictine Abbey, Poitiers, France.

One experience I found fascinating is’Desert Days’. These are days when members and volunteers practice what it must have been like to be a Desert Father in Egypt. On these days they go about in silence and practice a partial fast. They also try and visit the prayer room more often during the day. These days give participants a spiritual boost.

Another amazing practice is ‘forest bathing’ when either singly or in pairs you go for long quiet walks along forest paths. The compound is 70acres and there are kilometers of up-kept, safe and secure paths through the woods. During these walks you immerse yourself in nature through all one’s senses and pray in thanksgiving for the blessings of Nature. It was both romantic and spiritually fulfilling to walk for kilometers through the woods with Sandee.

Members and volunteers try to live healthy and sustainably by exercising, practicing Christian Meditation and eating produce from a sustainable farm they keep on the compound. The farmer and his family live sustainably, on the farm, in a small wooden cottage.

It was inspiring to interact with the young adult volunteers who live and work on the compound for food and lodging for different periods - 3 mths, 6mths or 1 year. Dialoguing with them, I learnt that they use the time to discern their vocation. As with most youth they struggle to select a path forward. The time spent strengthens their spirituality and adds to their work/ life skills.

There is a continuous stream of retreats, both private or with a group, that are conducted at the abbey. Retreatants live on the compound for the period of the retreat and join the community for shared meals and prayers. Sandee was participating in a workshop, and I took the opportunity to have a private retreat. There was also another ongoing retreat on Spirituality in Leadership.

Having much alone time to walk the vast grounds, I recognized the great variety of plants and animals. There are majestic Mediterranean Oak, Chestnut, Pine and Cedar trees and many different wild flowering shrubs. There are fishes in babbling brooks and butterflies of all descriptions with otter like creatures paddling on the surface of the lake. One day, on my many walks, I came across a swarm of iridescent green dragon flies.

These experiences enticed me to pray and reflect on my 69th year, the blessings I have received and ponder my 70s that will begin in 6 months. I tried to discern God’s will for my life ahead with Sandee. I made a commitment to grow this online Ministry along with my parish ministry. I considered the possibility of replicating some of the concepts of the Benedictine monastery, on a much smaller scale, back home.