LIFESCAPES RETREAT

Our eighth Annual Lifescapes Retreat grew out of a core group of 30 people and was organized by Barbara Schmitt and Julie Loste. This year, the Retreat took place at an undeniably elegant Tudor and Elizabethan style mansion called Inisfada, the St. Ignatius Retreat House in Manhasset, Long Island. All participants appreciated its close proximity to New York City and found that the splendor of the surroundings added much to the spiritual quality of the retreat.

The Inisfada Retreat House in Manhasset, Long Island

The retreat theme, “From Transition to Transformation,” was facilitated by the Revs. Cheryl Walker and David Robb, who helped the group to bond through prayer services, Bible discussions and reflections on the theme.

The highlight of our Saturday afternoon session was the visit of a group of practitioners from the Spirit of Light Reiki Healing Circle of New York City. Their goal was to balance and realign energy and help activate our own healing powers. This was the first time that the majority of us had experienced this type of energy work. After initial exercises that raised the level of energy within ourselves and in the room itself, we held hands while seated in a circle as the five Reiki healers took turns working on us from behind using their own energy to connect with ours. It was a most relaxing and spiritually empowering experience! The rest of the afternoon offered open-space time that proved to be an appropriate diversion and chance for respite, walks on the grounds, an optional tour of the “house,” and preparation for our recognition gift, to be given out Saturday evening. Dinner, as other mealtimes during the weekend, became a time for casual conversation and emerging friendships over delightfully varied and healthful food.

The energy that we raised Saturday afternoon in our Reiki Circle was further tapped after dinner when Lynn Crimando, our very own recently certified Kripālu Yoga teacher, modeled some loosening-up, Kripālu-style exercises so that we might be able to give our full attention to the people we were paired with for further centering and sharing. Later that night, the recognition gifts were given and received during the Saturday night wine and cheese event.

The Sunday morning worship at Inisfada was followed by a visit to the nearby Shelter Rock Unitarian Church. As this particular Sunday was a celebration of the Day of the Dead, we were witness to and participants in this service, heavily influenced by the Latino tradition of honoring those who have died by exhibiting relevant artifacts, clothing, and pictures of the departed, which are placed on makeshift altars. Instead of the weekly sermon, congregants and visitors stepped up to microphones that were placed throughout the church, recalling their departed loved ones and pets. Both adults and children alike spoke. The jazz-inspired music and singing of “De Colores” in both Spanish and English was a highlight of this colorful and festive service of remembrance. As guests of the Shelter Rock congregation, we were invited to a Mexican-style lunch. Within the hour, we were on our way home, digesting what turned out to be a glorious celebration of life and its storied paths.