People, Places & Purgatory

Sincerst Heart

Day one:

I arrived in Providence just a hour before the silent retreat was to begin. I got situated in my suite and unpacked for a week long excursion away from my everyday.

Neutral Color's occupy the room in shades of elegant blue. A refreshing mix of fresh linen and holiness surrounds me. As this is the beginning of my week long tribute to my recovery I set out a gift I got early on in recovery by a friend I've not seen in quite a while, Danielle A. I offer up a candle made by a local indigenous artist and opened my god box. I bought this special new item on a recent trip with other recovery friends a couple weeks back. In it I placed my fears, worries and negative vibes in hopes of transforming their energy into something shy of Rae's of light.

Couldn't nap, I'm far to excited simply to be back in this saintly environment.

Gardens, my oh my the holly garden of providence enticed me to book another night!

First prayer 🤲 I have chosen a sacred word to consent to the spirit. Thy spirit will enter and hopefully guide me along this journey which is upon me. Opening was of sparrows and a Thomas Keating quote I reckon of openness. Twenty minutes simmered by.

Silence corrupts the air, the smell of the trees and flowers of the exterior flood my senses. I've always had an escape memory. A sacred space I go too in my mind. The memory bank keeps this area preserved for my entry every time I choose to escape there! Grandma an eagle, and images of hearts became visual, and the trees hovering above me.

An evening prayer occurred straight from the liturgies of New Zealand a reading with accountability and praise. It was just the right addition to kick off on night one. I followed that up with a stroll down to Glennridding Ravine. Truly felt so peaceful as it gave me some stunning photos. I love love love water and being close to it.

I spent the remaining hours of daylight reading a book on ambition. YEP an excellent first day!

Day 2

Good morning!

I didn't sleep well which is unique here for me, as I've always slept well in places like this. The sky is fluffy with clouds. The wind is minor which makes it delicate outside for tan.

It's so hard not to profile people out of the 12 people eating with me 10/12 ate one item first then a second and so on their plate

They didn't eat bits here and there

I find that strange but speaks to different complexities of the mind. Very interesting!

Faith Hope & Love, as one person explained during our readings; was that our creator, higher power or god, is love. We present our faith through love for others, by removing the goal keeping, snobbish or conceit. Also with our boast. Reflection came four times with the passage read on the verse by adding in another form of what Love isn't.

I participated in a prayer walking circle for the first time and did not know what I was doing! So Google helped : On a personal prayer walk, you can walk in silence, observing the scenery around you. You can pray for people and situations that are on your mind. You can talk things out with God, sharing your thoughts and emotions and leaving space for the Spirit to respond. You can give thanks for the blessings in your life.

We sat for fourty minutes in silence and simple lathered up the concept of love.

This afternoon I ventured deeper into the wooded area on the property. I found shade and took in some excellent pictures. Then just as luck would have it an eagle appeared flying really low. She perched her self up on a few different trees and corresponded to my chatting with her. I asked her to come closer and she did and then she chatted and flew up then over then down. Curious I am obviously as this animal appeared to me yesterday in first sacred word speak: Google 😂 again showed me: When Eagle appears to you it means that you are being put on notice. Eagle totems appear to inspire (push) you to reach higher and become more than you think you are capable of. They tell you to be courageous and really stretch your limits and see what you can do.