Inspired by the success of the weekend retreat Matthew Wright led for The Contemplative Society in 2015, he is returning to share his heart-centred wisdom over the course of five days. Together, we will explore the Gospel of Thomas, the 2000-year-old non-canonical text that features short sayings of Jesus (similar to kōans) which are often used today in the practice of lectio divina. Matthew will lead us through the ways in which Thomas can help reorient Christianity for a global, inter-spiritual age. Want to get to know Matthew better? Check out his latest blog post, his audio teaching, or this wonderful report from his last visit!

RETREAT DETAILS:

Cost: $675  CAD (shared) or $850 CAD (private – VERY limited availability). A $100 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your space. A limited number of partial scholarships will be made available. Register now!

Fees include overnight accommodations and buffet-style meals of vegetarian and some diet-restricted options, with two fish dishes during the week. All taxes included in fees. Opportunities to car-pool will be made available. Thanks to the generosity of our membership and supporting organisations, we also have a limited number of scholarships available. 

PLEASE READ BEFORE REGISTERING: 

While this historic forestry camp facility offers simple, rustic charm in a lakeside, woodsy setting, it was specifically built for a team of men with few private rooms. Some shared accommodations are open-concept with no doors. Also, there are no private washrooms in the sleeping quarters and only about 10 shared washrooms and showers and, therefore, people may find they have to wait or be flexible in timing their use of these. Access to WiFi is limited (though available), but there is cell phone reception throughout the grounds (though we ask you to limit your use). As we held successful and rich Wisdom Schools on this site in 2014 and 2016, we are confident that participants will reap many rewards at this location, especially if they come with the intention of bringing an open attitude, a sense of humour, and goodwill. Whatever challenges present themselves, Cynthia Bourgeault often reminds us these are precisely the conditions for experiencing the full benefit of a retreat. Visit their website for more information.

Although silence and meditation are components of this retreat, it is not in full silence. The schedule will include teaching sessions, time for group sharing, question and answer sessions, as well as free unstructured time and possibly some conscious work (like washing windows or light weeding). Typically, silence will be practiced from the final sit in the evening through to the next morning session after breakfast. We may incorporate silence into more meals.

There are many travel routes to this destination, so we strongly encourage you to do your trip-planning research in advance of registering. Google Maps is a great place to start. Please note that BC’s Ministry of Transportation requires that appropriate winter tires be used on all vehicles traveling here during this time. We are offering to arrange ridesharing, though we cannot guarantee this option for anyone. For more information, please contact admin@contemplative.org.

Given all the above, we ask you to carefully consider if this event is suitable to you prior to registering. Ready? Register now! If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please do so immediately before or after your registration.

For enquiries or questions please contact admin@contemplative.org or phone 250-381-9650.