Contemplative Living Retreats

“The spiritual life does not remove us from this world but leads us deeper into it.” ~Henri Nouwen

We are aching for more!

Many events and experiences recently and over the past several years are lingering longer than most of us imagined. We are reevaluating our lives as we search for meaning and understanding. We try to make sense of all that has happened personally and collectively. Many questions and thoughts come to mind, and our uneasiness, anxiety, and heartache push us toward our Heavenly Father. Paying careful attention to our spiritual, emotional, and physical health is crucial to our own and others’ capacity to live fully alive.

Life is full of unexpected curves and foreseeable highs and lows. Some days we long for more, and on others, we ache for something different. What do you do with the yearning and desire for the “abundant life” Jesus promises?

God invites us into a deep, genuine, personal, full, and sustainable life with Him. You can experience a maturing depth in your walk with God. Are you intrigued and wondering how this could be possible for you? 

Contemplative Living Retreats (CLR) is a leisurely-paced yet extensive introduction to contemplative living. Here are a few of the fruits (aka benefits) of participating.

• It will strengthen your relationship with the Trinity

• Expand your view of the spiritual life

• Discover your God-given desires

• Find life-giving rhythms 

• Expand your self-awareness 

• Bring about inner healing

• Refine your discernment and 

• Guide you toward a deep-rooted sense of purpose. 

That's a lot, and it's completely within your reach.

Contemplative Living Retreats

Contemplative Living Retreats emphasize two things. The first is that the CLR is a communal journey, not a solo trek. Over the course of this formative period in your life, you’ll travel with a cohort. That cohort will be instrumental in the change you experience, which is only natural. After all, we’re not islands; our lives are entangled for better or worse — and in this case better. In short, we provide you with an important band of brothers and sisters.

Second, although the quarterly retreats are valuable, they’re not the epicenter of this formative experience. They launch you into a practice that gets deepened in the interval between the retreats. The guided retreats provide a framework for understanding both conceptually and experientially exactly what you’re getting into for the next 3 months and why it’s so important for your own spiritual formation.

CLR is set up as a two-year experience, but you can commit to Year 1 and Year 2 separately. In committing to either year, you’re saying yes to all four retreats for that year, not just the ones that may interest you more. Each retreat builds slowly upon the other and on the spiritual practices you engage in between retreats.

The first four focus heavily on one’s inner work. The last four help one become aware of how the inner work touches the outer world, culminating in a Rule of Life and a stronger sense of mission. All retreats have a consistent rhythm of communal, experiential learning followed by individual communion with God and time to process afterward. 

The 8 Modules

Module 1 Soul Rest-Slowing down to get in touch with our deepest desires. Key Practice: Sabbath

Module 2 Soul Space- Creating space for God through solitude and silence. Key Practice: Silent reflection & prayer / Periods of Solitude

Module 3 Soul Feeding- Engaging the Scriptures relationally. Key Practice: Lectio Divina & Imaginative Prayer

Module 4 Soul Connecting- Experiencing God through embodied prayer. Key Practice: Centering Prayer, Breath Prayer, Walking Prayer

Module 5 Soul Awareness- Growing in self-awareness. Key Practice: Self-examination via the Enneagram

Module 6 Soul Healing-Releasing what hinders life with God. Key Practice: Attachment Inventory / Healing Steps

Module 7 Soul Knowing- Attuning to the movements and invitations of God with others. Key Practice: Clearness Committee / Group Spiritual Direction

Module 8 Soul Making- Crafting rhythms and relationships that shape, guide, and sustain us. Key Practice: Developing a Rule of Life

Participant Agreements

• Commit to the entire year (4 guided retreats)

• Practice the practice – not only at the retreat but, more importantly, during the interval between retreats

• Read the books - a leisurely pace of approximately 1 book every 2 months

• Write a 1-page reflection before each retreat

• Connect with fellow cohort members to encourage one another

• Meet with a spiritual director or companion monthly (not required but highly recommended)

RETREAT LOGISTICS

There are two options to attend CLR; in-person or virtually. Laura Longville facilitates CLR and will be held physically in Rapid City, South Dakota, or Nashville, TN. Virtual retreats are held on Zoom. Click here for answers to frequently asked questions.

The in-person CLR is held at a private home in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota and/or at Terra Sancta Retreat Center. Nestled in the pines, the residence is quiet, with areas for rest and reflection, access to peaceful hiking trails, and outdoor worship areas, all to keep company with God. Nourishing food and sustaining hearty conversations nurture your Spirit-filled experience.

Year 1-In-Person cohort fees: Rapid City, SD 2024-2025 dates

November 1-2, 2024 February 7-8, 2025 may 2-3, 2025 August 1-2, 2025

registration deadline: September 15, 2024

• Retreat fees with overnight accommodations- Individual $1250/year per individual or $2150/ year per couple.

  See FAQ for detailed information.

• Additional costs include recommended books and transportation to Rapid City, SD, and/or retreat location.

Year 2 In-Person cohort fees and retreat 2025 Dates coming soon

rapid city, SD

Next Steps

TO REGISTER, click here. After you email Laura, she will contact you to schedule a time to visit. Please contact Laura Longville at 605.381.9435 or Email Laura with any questions.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions Click Here -to find answers to our most asked questions.

See testimonies of a few who have attended CLR below