There is a retreat space in the country an hour from where I live that has “Quiet Friday’s”. You can go and spend time in the beautiful space in silence. There is a house, walking trails, a labyrinth and many trees for shade. There are usually others there but everyone is quiet. I have been there numerous times and I am always struck by a few things. The first is that stillness is a necessity not a luxury. Somehow I forget this lesson over and over and over again. The second is that it is nourishing to my soul, but also my body to be silent and reflective, even for an hour. The renewal and creativity that I gain on those Fridays powers me for days.
This makes me think of recovery. Recovery means to get back. I think we use the term recovery so often that we lose sight of all that we are returning to. It is surely a state of sobriety. It is so much more though. Recovery (whether from addiction or betrayal trauma) is getting back to our spiritual foundations. We are a soul with a body but often live as we are bodies with a soul. There is a big difference. Obviously, God created the whole of us but our souls need to be nourished. Our soul is our foundation. Sometimes I picture my soul and how strong it is based on how much I have been feeding it. Much like our physical bodies, if we do not feed our soul, it withers. I am not sure what helps you feed your soul. Maybe it is meditation, singing, reading Scripture, walking outside or any of the hundreds of other ways. I do know that spiritual nourishment is not a luxury for recovery, it is a requirement. I am praying that you have your version of Quiet Fridays and experience renewal as a result.
