Introduction to Spiritual Friendship (Online Course and Retreat)

The Osage Forest of Peace will will always hold a special place in my heart. My first retreat there offered space for personal healing and growth. The staff and guests at that time were so nice and welcoming and I found myself opening up and communing more than I had imagined. It is also a place you can be contemplative on your own.
The walking trails are nice and would offer different experience with the seasons. And the food was so good, really great.
I am greatful that I attended.

Attended the 3rd Saturday sangha and, as always, am grateful for this beautiful space and the people to share it with. Lunch is a special treat after a morning of meditation.

It actually did not start until 6:30, then dinner was half an hour. Then the presentation started. The woman projected well and was a good speaker/actress, but the man had a feeble voice and read right into his folder. It was supposed to be over at 8:00, but still going at 8:10. I had to meet a friend at the airport, so I had to leave before it was over. It's a long way to drive there, no matter where you are coming from, then an hour wait for it to begin, then more than an hour presentation, then the long trip home. The food was good and the presentation was sincere, but I do not believe it should have taken so long. Maybe just drinks and finger food if eating is important. Definitely don't invite people to arrive at 6 and then wait half an hour to eat. Another time I would just grab a snack in the car and arrive 7;00 when it actually starts. Time it so you know how long the presentation really is. If it is 1,5 hours, olam for that. Just whatever it is. The best part of the evening was when the African American lady spoke. I enjoyed every minute of what she had to offer.

My friend and I hiked this early one weekday morning. Very, very serene and peaceful. Looks to be very well kept. I’m planning to get a cabin during the week soon. You will not be disappointed!

I sought out Osage Forest of Peace after my husband had died.. I was feeling spiritually exhausted and was seeking to “lose self” and draw closer to God’s presence in my new and bewildering reality. My first experience at the Forest of Peace was their 2026 Summer Solstice weekend, and I now know that I have found my retreat and respite for future periods of reflection and meditation. The forest stewards provided the most delicious food, coziest accommodations and loving guidance I could have found anywhere, all for an affordable price and a thirty minute drive from home. There is no condemnation, judgement, or misunderstanding here. My only concern was to spray myself consistently in hopes of avoiding ticks; given the current wet season and the beautiful forest setting, all of us had to be mindful of this, but the benefits of the meditations, a forest bath and a sound bath far outweighed the inconvenience of applying tick/mosquito repellent periodically.

I did start out on a walk on a trail that was rewarding me with sights of mushrooms, anthills, rocks, leaves and more treats to the point that two hours had passed and I could not find the trail head to guide me back to the main site. I wasn’t “lost”-I could tell where I was on the map-but need help finding the way back. Help was a phone call away, and David found me and guided me back. I had reached my limits physically and am forever grateful for his coming and assisting me in finding my way.

Anyone seeking a welcoming place in their life may be assured that the Osage Forest of Peace is there for us. It can be a challenging world, and I thank God and the hardy nuns from 1980 for giving us this precious resource for our souls. We need to support the forest and one another in our journeys here on earth, for ourselves and those who will come.