Silent Retreat at the Merritt Center, Payson AZ

Have long felt any time spent in silence was spent best.

Over Memorial Day weekend, spent part of 4 days silently serving 16 others as we walked in silence together on retreat.

Our hostess, Betty Merritt, did an amazing job of making everyone feel more than at home. I cannot praise her efforts highly enough regarding the overall atmosphere, the food, the physical environment so highly conducive to meditation in delightful conditions.

Much gratitude to her !

This labyrinth provided a daily meditation delight for more than one attendee.

A morning fire in the fireplace and we were all set.

Silence is everyone’s teacher.

Years ago, when I retreated into silence for the first time (in the US),
on a five day retreat with Shinzen Young, my friends laughed.

” Him ? Silent ? Ha ha ! ”

The chatty character they were familiar with did not know silence as an intimate friend.

He does now.

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Anyone can discover the delicious depths of silence for themselves.

Silence, so conspicuous by its absence in our noisy, distracted 21st century life, patiently waits to be rediscovered.

All it takes is one day.

In my experience, once tasted, one does not want to leave.

It’s that delicious.

In silence, there lies freedom.

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Photos were taken on site by the author.

http://www.merrittcenter.org/

http://www.retreatfinder.com/directory/groupserved/silent.aspx

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Related articles :

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http://shafiqah1.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/retreat-an-opportunity-to-allow-awareness-to-manifest/

http://restinginawareness.com/2012/08/12/retreat-an-opportunity-to-allow-awareness-to-manifest/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/janet-kinosian/the-sound-of-silent-retre_b_99685.html

I just did a silent retreat (meaningfulwesternlife.com)