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Advent Retreat 2026: From Darkness Into Light

Location icon
141 Monastery Rd, Sand Springs, OK 74063, USA
Users icon
Up to 25 in group
Date
December 4 - 6, 2026

Retreat Highlights

  • Community.
  • Meditation.
  • Nature.
  • Hiking.

About this Retreat

Details of this retreat

Spend the first weekend of the Advent season reflecting on the themes of darkness and light. Emerge from disappointment, grief, anger, bitterness, and the rush of the world, and be embraced by a loving God who comes to be One among us. Sessions will focus on scriptures, stories, and themes of moving from darkness into light. Saturday evening will feature a special “Service of Lessons and Carols” in the Main chapel, which will also be a public event.

Schedule: 

 

Friday, December 4th: 

1:30-4:30 p.m.  Arrivals and settling in
4:30 p.m. Afternoon Meditation (Main chapel)
5:30 p.m. Dinner (Main House dining area)
6:30 p.m. Advent Reflection: “In the Beginning…”  (Bede Building)

7:30 p.m. Wasail, cookies, and fruit cake. (Main House)

9:00 p.m. Quiet Hours Begin

 

Saturday, December 5th:

From awakening to 9 a.m. Breakfast in silence (Main House dining area)

8:00 a.m. Morning Meditation (Main chapel)

9:00 a.m. Advent Reflection: “The people living in darkness…”

10:00 a.m. Break

11:00 a.m. Advent Reflection: “Your Word is a lamp…”

Noon Noon Meditation (Main chapel)

12:30 p.m. Lunch (Main house dining area)

1:30 p.m. Free Time until 3 p.m.

3:00 p.m. Advent Reflection and Tea Time: “Let your light shine…”

4:30 p.m. Afternoon Meditation (Main chapel)

5:30 p.m. Dinner (Main house dining area)

6:30 p.m. Service of Lessons and Carols (Main chapel)

9:00 p.m. Quiet Hours Begin

 

Sunday, December 6th:

(Silence until 9 a.m.)

8:00 a.m. Morning Meditation (Main chapel)

9:00 a.m. Cooked Breakfast (Main house dining area)

10:00 a.m. Closing Circle and Goodbye!

 


No visitors under 18 years old


No pets (service animals with certificate are OK)


No alcohol, tobacco, or recreational drugs


No weapons of any kind


No open fires


Cancelation policy
If the reservation is canceled within the 7 days before the scheduled retreat date and time, a credit towards a future stay is provided. A credit is valid for one year from the date of issue.
If the reservation is canceled up until the 7th day before the scheduled retreat date and time, a refund will be issued, minus any credit card transaction fees and donations. Refunds will be made to the original credit card on file or by check within two weeks of the notice of cancellation.
An exception may be made in the case of illness, death in the family, or inclement weather, in which case  a credit towards a future stay is provided. A credit is valid for one year from date of issue.
When you register, you will have the opportunity to choose your cabin for the weekend. If you are planning on sharing a cabin with a friend, please register together by clicking "2" in the dropdown box by your cabin selection. This will ensure that you are charged the double occupancy rate. The Osage Forest of Peace may, due to repairs, maintenance, or unforeseen circumstances, need to reassign you to a different cabin of the same or higher category at no extra charge. Such a change will be communicated to you as soon as possible.

Schedule

Meditation.
Hiking.
Nature.
Labyrinth.
Zen Garden.
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change

Getting Here

Location icon Osage Forest of Peace, 141 Monastery Rd, Sand Springs, OK 74063, USA

Directions

FROM TULSA:
Take Hwy 64 West past the town of Sand Springs; exit at 177 West Avenue.
Turn RIGHT on 177 West Avenue and drive about 1 mile to Anderson Road.
Turn LEFT on Anderson Road.
Continue about ½ mile to the entrance to the Shell Creek West housing division.
Turn RIGHT into Shell Creek West housing division.
Turn RIGHT at Lakeview Drive.
Continue until you see Monastery Road.
Turn RIGHT onto Monastery Road until you come to the parking lot for Osage.

Accommodation

Our guest cabins provide a cozy and simple spot in the Forest to focus on what truly matters during your retreat. Many guests comment that they experience deep peace upon arriving at the Forest. Staying in a guest cabin allows you to experience the serene rest that comes with sleeping in the woods. STANDARD CABINS Our standard cabins feature a full bathroom, heating and air conditioning, and WiFi access. They include: Twin beds Bathroom with shower Bed linens, pillows, blankets, and towels Hair dryer Desk Dresser Comfortable chair Alarm clock Hand soap Makeup remover wipes Tissues Insect repellent Umbrella Flashlights GUEST HERMITAGE Our guest hermitage cabin is located in a private spot with big picture windows for looking out at the forest. This cabin features two rooms and a larger bathroom. There is a microwave, small refrigerator, plates, mugs, and eating utensils. A private deck is perfect for experiencing the wonder of the forest in solitude. This cabin includes: Twin beds Bathroom with shower Bed linens, pillows, blankets, and towels Hair dryer Desk Dresser Comfortable chair Alarm clock Hand soap Makeup remover wipes Tissues Insect repellent Umbrella Flashlights

Cabin #1 (Gertrude)

Cabin #10 (St. Scholastica--Upgraded Cabin)

Cabin #11 (Subiaco--Hermitage Style/Two Rooms)

 

Cabin #12 (Guadalupe--Hermitage Style/Two Rooms)

Cabin #13 (Mechtilde)

Cabin #14 (Clare--One Queen Sized Bed)

Cabin #2 (Hildegard)

Cabin #4 (Placid)

Cabin #5 (Sophia)

Cabin #6 (Mary--Upgraded Cabin)

Cabin #7 (St. Bendict)

Cabin #8 (Brigid--Hermitage Style/Two Rooms)

Cabin 3 (Maur)

Commuter: Saturday and Sunday

Accommodation
Includes retreat sessions and meals on Saturday and Sunday only. Overnight lodging is not included.

Venue & Amenities

A/C in Rooms icon A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi icon Free Wifi
Spa icon Spa
Sauna icon Sauna
Pool icon Pool
Towels icon Towels
Free Parking icon Free Parking
Kitchen icon Kitchen
Tour Assistance icon Tour Assistance
Hot Tub icon Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea icon Coffee/Tea
Cafe icon Cafe
Restaurant icon Restaurant
Fitness Center icon Fitness Center
Yoga Studio icon Yoga Studio
Housekeeping icon Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent icon Bicycles For Rent
Entering the Forest is a peaceful experience and you'll have the opportunity to meditate in a beautiful Meditation Chapel with large windows looking out into the woods. Other meditation areas include a traditional Zen Garden, a woodland labyrinth for walking meditation, and an underground meditation chamber (the Cave of the Mothers) with wonderful acoustics for chanting.

Our retreat center also has a trail system along wooded bluffs with views of Shell Lake and downtown Tulsa. You can rent a cabin to experience the peaceful setting overnight for your own personal retreat. Our rental rates include three meals a day in our dining room, where you'll eat alongside other guests and residents of our community. The Forest also offers a full range of programs and retreats on meditation and spiritual topics.

You have a range of options to experience meditation in a way that suits you. You might choose to join our resident community for meditation held Tuesday through Saturday at 7:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, or 4:45 p.m., and on Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in our Meditation Chapel. Here you'll experience a meditation of 25 to 45 minutes with others who can help guide you.

Or, you may wish to simply rake the Zen Garden as you contemplate the prayer flags in the trees overhead. If you prefer to move while meditating, walking the labyrinth or hiking the trails will give you a chance to reconnect with nature. The Cave of the Mothers provides you with a dark, quiet place where you will be amazed by the sound of your chanting reverberating all around you.

Meals

Menu Types

Breakfasts are a self-serve buffet style with cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, toppings such as nuts and raisins, hard-boiled eggs, and a variety of milks from dairy to dairy free. On weekends, we additionally offer a variety of breads and toppings for toast. Lunch is our main meal of the day and is eaten together in community. Before the meal, we all circle around the table for a blessing and to introduce ourselves. Food options typically include a meat, a variety of vegetables, tofu or other protein for vegetarians, salad bar, and a healthy dessert. Supper is a light meal and is eaten together in community. Food options typically include a hearty soup, a meat, a variety of vegetables, crackers, salad bar, and a healthy dessert.

What's Included

  • Meals.
  • Meditation.

What's Not Included

  • Airfare.

Customer Reviews

4.86 out of 5.0 average rating

5.0
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Be Still and Know Silent Retreat at the Osage Forest of Peace
A truly beautiful and sacred place to step away from the busyness of worldly life and turn inward. The largely untouched peaceful forest, and thoughtful care of the Forest Stewards create a welcoming environment for stillness, contemplation, and spiritual growth. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to spend a week here, reconnecting with what matters most, and experience the profound gift of silence. A special place that I look forward to returning to, Divine willing!

5.0
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Magical and Mystical
We had a great retreat in this magical, magical old growth forest. The cabin was basic but clean. The staff was welcoming.

5.0
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Stillness
I attended the grief based retreat, and the forest was absolutely silent. You couldn’t hear cars, or neighbors, or the city. Just the falling of leaves and rain, the occasional movement of a deer or squirrel. Absolutely peaceful, a great place to reset. All of the home cooked meals were genuinely delightful, the hosts were gregarious, and the accommodations were just enough to be cozy, but not so ornate that you wanted to spend to it weekend in bed. I will certainly be back.

5.0
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Place of Peace
You are always greeted with warmth and a very welcoming attitude. It's very clean and you can definitely feel comfortable taking off your shoes. When sitting in the round chapel/zendo the windows make you feel like you are actually in the forest.
This is truly a place of the peace and quiet that leads to inner joy. The food's great too!

5.0
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Sacred Becoming Retreat
This retreat exceeded any expectations I had. I can only imagine that any woman who is in perimenopause or any point of the menopause journey, including post menopause would benefit. Jenni provide so much information in a novel and captivating way that helps explain so much about the menopause experience. I realized that no one had talked to me about any of this, and I learned so much. It was also a very safe. Space an encouraged camaraderie between the group of women. I highly recommend this.

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