What Does a Weekend at Wild Sanctuary Feel Like?
Image from last years’ overnight Wild Sanctuary Retreat.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him." — Psalm 34:8
A Different Kind of Arrival
We recently reflected on Jesus' invitation to "come away...and get some rest." It is a beautiful invitation, but perhaps it also raises a practical question: What does it actually feel like to step away?
For many of us, arriving at retreat isn't as simple as pulling into a parking lot or unpacking a weekend bag. We arrive carrying full calendars, unfinished to-do lists, conversations that linger in our minds, and responsibilities waiting for us at home. We bring the joys and sorrows of everyday life, and often we arrive wondering if we'll really be able to settle into the rhythms laid out for us without being pulled back into the world we’ve intentionally set aside for the weekend.
The beautiful thing is this: you don't have to arrive feeling peaceful. You simply have to arrive. There is no expectation that you come with everything figured out. There is only an invitation to enter just as you are, trusting that God will gently meet you in the midst of it all.
Settling into a New Rhythm
One of the first things many people notice at retreat is that time begins to feel different. Instead of moving from appointment to appointment, the day unfolds with intention. We gather for gentle movement and prayer, share nourishing meals around the table, spend time outdoors, sit in silence, and enter meaningful conversations. There is space to linger rather than rush, which can feel challenging to settle into at first…
As the hours pass, the pace of everyday life begins to soften; shoulders relax, breathing deepens, and we become more attentive—to ourselves, to one another, to creation, and to the quiet ways God is already speaking. This slower rhythm isn't about doing less simply for the sake of doing less (although, in our busy lives, doing less is a welcome practice all of its own!), it is about creating room for what often gets crowded out by busy schedules: wonder, gratitude, prayer, play, and presence.
Discovering God in the Ordinary
One of the gifts of retreat is that it reminds us God is rarely found only in extraordinary moments. We encounter our loving Creator in the warmth of shared meals where friendships blossom quickly. In the rustling of leaves overhead as the October air brings a refreshing crispness to the world around us. In the laughter that bubbles up unexpectedly during a creative practice or around the bonfire. In the sacred stillness that settles over a room during silent prayer. In gentle movement that helps us reconnect with the bodies God has so lovingly created. These moments may seem ordinary, yet they often become the ones we carry home with us—the ones that impact us the most as we realize we are not alone in our experiences, and a shared experience brings depth to impact.
Again and again, we're reminded that God's presence has been near all along. Retreat simply helps us become awake to it.
Carrying the Gift Home
People sometimes imagine that retreat is about escaping real life. We see it differently…
Retreat offers us the opportunity to practice a different way of living—one rooted in attentiveness, rest, and communion with God. While the weekend eventually comes to an end, the invitation extends into every space and place you inhabit. We return home with new rhythms, renewed perspectives, and a deeper awareness that the same God who met us in the quiet is present in our ordinary days as well.
Our hope is not that you would leave wishing you could stay on retreat forever (although that would be a beautiful compliment!). Rather, we hope you leave remembering that moments of sanctuary can continue to unfold wherever you are.
If you've been wondering what a weekend at Wild Sanctuary is really like, perhaps the simplest answer is this: it is an invitation to slow down enough to notice that God has been waiting for you all along.
If that invitation resonates with you, we'd love to welcome you to our Wild Sanctuary Overnight Retreat this October 9th - 11th at St.Mary’s in Sewanee. Registration is open through September 6, and you can explore the full weekend experience and reserve your place here.
Whether you join us this season or create your own small sanctuary this week, may you discover the quiet joy of God's presence in the ordinary moments of your life.