What is a Retreat?

What is a retreat?

The retreat is an aspect of spirituality which emphasizes time away with God. Just as Jesus needed time "in a deserted place" to think and pray, every human needs time away from daily routine in which to commune with the Creator. Retreats need not be tied to any specific religion, and although most retreat houses are Christian, they accept persons from all faiths. Retreat houses and retreat directors are accustomed to answering questions from first-time retreatants, and can help you find a retreat that fits your needs and wishes.

Retreats take many forms. Some types include:

Faith community retreats, such as Cursillo, are intended in part to bring those making a retreat into a supportive faith community. Often these retreats are led by and supported by those who have themselves made the retreat in the past. Retreats repeat on a regular basis, and there is often post-retreat follow-up, such as a reunion, to allow participants to reconnect. These retreats usually include lots of interaction and take place over a weekend.
Individual private retreats are just that... individual, and private. A person makes a reservation at a retreat house for a given number of days, and structures their own retreat. They may read books, attend worship services, enjoy nature, or any other activity that is non-disruptive to other people on retreat. Meals are often eaten in silence, and interaction is kept to a minimum. Length can range from a day to a week or even longer, depending on the wishes of the retreatant.
Conference retreats (also known as "preached" retreats) have a blend of group teaching and alone time. Participants meet once or twice a day to hear the leader give a talk on a theme related to the retreat, and spend the rest of the day in whatever prayer form they desire. Generally, retreatants maintain some degree of quiet so that they don't disturb others' prayer. Meals may be taken in silence. Length depends on the retreat center giving the retreat. At right, a quiet deer enjoys the peaceful setting during a conference retreat at St. Raphaela Center.
Retreats for children and teens are often given by churches and religious schools. These retreats are tailored for their demographic and usually include a number of activities to keep energy level and interest up. They may be daylong or include one or more overnights in a retreat center.
Directed retreats are made by individuals who would like to reflect on their prayer and spiritual life with someone who has been trained in spirituality. The retreatant meets daily with the retreat director, who listens to what is happening in the retreatant's life and prayer, and suggests ways to connect with the divine. Most people on directed retreats maintain silence and minimal interaction during their retreat, except for their meetings with the retreat director. Directed retreats usually last at least a weekend, and often are about a week long.
Days of prayer may include teaching, silent time, group activities, alone time, worship, individual direction, or any combination of the above. Schools, churches, or families may schedule a day of prayer that is tailored to their needs at a retreat center or other meeting place. They last only a day and don't include an overnight component.
The Spiritual Exercises are a special kind of retreat developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola. The Spiritual Exercises were intended by Ignatius to last one month, although much shorter versions, such as the seven or eight day retreat, are popular. The Spiritual Exercises may be given as a conference retreat, but they are most often given as a directed retreat. Some spiritual directors give a "daily life" version of the Spiritual Exercises, in which a participant prays for a given time (perhaps an hour) each day and meets with the director regularly (perhaps once a week). This extends the Spiritual Exercise over several months.