Our cottages and huts are ideal for self-reflection and a deepening of one’s spiritual life. You may choose a guided or healing retreat or simply be on your own.
Self Guided Individual Retreats are for those who want to structure their own time. Some nurture themselves by walking in nature, sleeping, meditating, journal writing, reflecting, and walking the labyrinth. Others with training in a particular meditative tradition use this time to deepen their practice. Creative writing, drawing, playing music or working with dreams — the possibilities abound.
Guided Individual Retreats
Guided individual retreats are for those wanting some structure and insight for their retreat with additional time to spend on their own. They meet with the guide for one or more days depending on their need and desire. As a result of the first or subsequent meetings, the guide suggests certain practices, short relevant writings and CD guided meditations. (See the guide’s description of her role below.) Guided retreats are similar to healing retreats but usually with a different focus and the retreatant can choose the number of sessions they want to have.
Healing Retreats
Healing Retreats are for those seeking healing on a physical, psychological, or spiritual level. Each day the person meets with the guide for a counseling/healing session. The session may consist of straightforward counseling, dream work, guided imagery, or movement exercises, depending on what modality best serves the person. The retreatant then has time for resting, walking, listening to relevant recordings, or doing some simple practices that help integrate the benefits of the healing work. We encourage the person to take time following the last session before going home. This way, old patterns are not reinforced and the new energetic shifts have time to gel. The buildup of consecutive daily sessions is very powerful. Healing retreats focus on healing of life issues and psychological work, while guided retreats focus more on spiritual development.
Deep-Dive Guided Retreats
Guided Individual Retreats are more structured and intensive. The guide meets with the retreatant once a day and suggests practices, prayers and recordings which bring the retreatant through a six-stage process of detachment, union and return. This deeply transformative process can be geared to a person of any faith or to one who does not feel a part of any tradition but wishes to deepen their spiritual life. There is a 3-day minimum stay for this retreat.
Working with a Guide
Consider working with retreat guide and spiritual director, Alice McDowell, as part of your retreat. Those who do are amazed at how much more they gain than they would without guidance. Here’s her description of her role:
“It’s hard to put into words what I do because I take the cues from the client. I see myself as a mid-wife, knowing that the client has the answers within. I listen to what they are saying and to what my guidance is also saying. Clients often get to a place of connection with their deepest self — a place of peace and insight. I do this by having them be present to their bodily sensations, images, or emotions to access this deeper reality. I see what defense structures they have and may give energetic exercises to help soften them. It all depends on what is surfacing within that person.”
-Alice McDowell, Spiritual Director and Retreat Guide
Testimonials
“Anyone looking for a place of healing and spirituality should know this is the place to go. It is hard for me to put into words how much of an impact this retreat had on me. It was exactly what I needed to get on the right path in my life. Your words of wisdom touched me in a way that I will always be grateful for. I left the retreat feeling a different kind of peace that I had never felt before.” – Jennifer, Individual Retreatant
Both of my retreats at Light on the Hill were precious opportunities to get in touch with my inner self, including beliefs and emotions that often get obfuscated by outside voices and distractions of our modern daily lives. The time alone, with no access to social media, news, or external influences, allowed me to get in touch with my true self and take a break from my ego. The highly intuitive and insightful guidance by Alice enabled me to go deeper than I could have on my own. As a result, by the end of both retreats I felt more clear, present, and at peace. I am glad I had these opportunities and look forward to being back in the future.
– Renata, Individual Retreatant
All I know is that when I’m at Light on the Hill it simply is the most beautiful place on earth. It’s hard to explain in a logical way, but it’s the feeling I have when I’m there. I experience the beautiful energy of Alice and Larry and all the retreatants who have graced this place over the years. As soon as I turn my car in the drive to the cottages, I feel magical—my soul sings with joy!
Mary, Individual Retreatant
Retreats at LOH are very important to me. The facility makes me feel at home, the grounds strengthen my connection to nature and the work I do on the guided retreat facilitates a deeper connection to myself. I love the challenges posed in retreat, the opportunity to separate from my day to day environment and find clarity on my part in things, what I do well and how I hold myself back. The realization that my feelings come and go without the daily stresses of life gives me the opportunity to clearly see my role in my struggles. I feel a deep appreciation for the gentle push I receive to confront my part in things both when I can’t see it and when I can. Chats with Alice bring up new clarity and I feel at ease taking to her, even when I’m not sure I agree or I don’t understand. I always feel supported. I find myself more grounded and with each retreat, I am able to hold on to more of that connection to self upon my return home.
