I Invite My Soul: A Guide to Retreat Practice at Home or Elsewhere

The title here is from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman who wrote, "I lean and I loaf and I invite my soul."The book itself is an invitation to any reader who relates to the need to slow down, to assume a more receptive or awaiting attitude toward life, and to remind us all once again that we do have "soul" whatever we might call it, be it conscience or truth or the voice of inner wisdom. While the idea of a "stay-cation," a home spa-treatment or self-nurturance weekend is gaining in popularity, this book is not essentially that. Rather, it focuses on the desire for an interior pilgrimage, a path to the temple of the soul. Retreat practice is presented as a means of re-establishing sanity, about resting deeply, about removing yourself from the same ole. At bottom line, it is for anyone longing for some chance to stop, for even a brief time, their usual worldly and relational patterns and activities to gain a fresh perspective on the personal inner life. It is about meditation, prayer, reflective writing, contemplative study, the beauty of nature, chanting or singing, praise and worship ... much more. It is about "coming home." And, as the author directs, what you are really looking for may not become clear until you actually start into the retreat practice, so she is there, in this book, as a trust friend and guide. The author has been a solitary "retreater" for the past twenty years and serves as the co-director of a small retreat center in Arizona. She knows the power and the pitfalls of retreat practice from her own experience and through counseling others, and generously shares her guidance and that of other seasoned retreaters from a variety of traditions, whom she has interviewed here. First timers can count on feeling more confident as they undertake the journey, and old-timers will be re-inspired. Intentional preparation is key to both a formal retreat at home or the getaway to a new location, which has the advantage of being novel. While the later is highly prized, it is not always possible due to restraints of family, job or finances. With this in mind, Ryan guides the reader in both at home and "elsewhere" retreat practice, showing us how to apply the basic principles of this discipline to both situations. During the enforced isolation so many are bearing in this time of global pandemic, her advice is practical and even compelling for anyone of any religious or spiritual orientation wishing to explore more deeply the "who" and "what" of life.