Restoring Sacred Conversation with Earth

Location icon
53 Mill Street, Westfield, MA, USA
Date
October 31 - November 2, 2025

About this Retreat

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Details of this retreat

The wisdom and guidance we need for this time of tragic ecological and political collapse will not be found in the dominant ways of thinking. Over fifty years ago, Thomas Berry urged us to turn and face these challenges by pointing to the root cause of the problem, "We are talking only to ourselves. We are not talking to the rivers, we are not listening to the wind and stars. We have broken the great conversation."
This retreat is an experiential and theological immersion into the practice of wild spirituality, which at the core is concerned with restoring sacred conversation with the natural world.  Beyond stewardship and caring for creation, there lies an invitation -- a call of the holy wild heard by every spiritual leader in both Testaments of our sacred stories:  a call to encounter God directly in the wilderness.  The call beckons each of us with urgency at this time. For those who already identify themselves as mystics who experience the numinous most in Nature and those who are curious about adding eco-spiritual practices to their contemplative lives.
Mornings begin with orientation to the day's eco-centric practices and an invitation to curiosity about how your inner landscape might be allured into conversation with the acres of Genesis outer landscape.  The bulk of each day will be spent in sacred saunter, listening for the voice of the Holy through whispers of the wind, language of leaves and syntax of spiders.  At the end of each day, we will gather to deepen the sacred conversation with one another as we share our experiences.  These are practices to live into the deepest definition of the Kingdom of God, without the G: a Kin-dom of reverent, reciprocal, and loving relationships.

Getting Here

Location icon Genesis Spiritual Center, 53 Mill Street, Westfield, MA, USA

Accommodation

Program Price

Customer Reviews

4.96 out of 5.0 average rating

5.0
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By His Cross and Resurrection
I really needed the quiet and silence during these Holy Days to enter more deeply into my relationship with my God. I so appreciated Joe’s poems, short talks, and especially the Ecological Stations of the Cross. Other times are for participant sharing, but not so much during this Holy time.
Grateful for everything, including Jen’s delicious meals! 👍😋
Elaine

5.0
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6 day silent guided retreat April
I had a very much needed quiet time. Genesis is always the place. My "guru" was exceptional. After just one session, I felt like we've known each other for years. The simplicity of the scheduled sessions with her were so beneficial. Along with the food and the accomodations, I left truly invigorated.
As an AA, I was also able to attend mtg while there ...downstairs!
I'm referring my friends to Genesis.

5.0
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Verses of the Soul: A Virtual Poetry Journey
This was a new experience for me. I signed up for this program because I love and also write poetry. The selections that JoAnn chose were varied and thought-provoking. Although we were a small group, the sharing was very meaningful. Hopefully this kind of program will be offered again.

5.0
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Poetry
I loved the hour midday to refresh and get quiet with several beautifully selected poems. My schedule prevented me from attending all three sessions, and as can happen in small groups, one or two participants shared at length, but the leader offered rich, varied creative work for us to contemplate.

5.0
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Lenten Supper Series
The Lenten Supper series is a meaningful and affordable way to unplug from the busyness and stressors of life for a few hours of intentional time to recenter and refresh during the season of Lent.

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