This event is online only and in English.
The Wisdom of the Young
We usually think of wisdom as the fruit of experience. But the wisdom traditions are full of examples of the wisdom of inexperience and the strength of a questing, youthful curiosity. ‘God often reveals what is best to the young‘, says St Benedict. How can the generations, so often distanced today, learn again how to drink from the different streams of wisdom present in different stages of life – for the sake of the world now and our future.
As we are unable to be physically at Monte Oliveto this year we are bringing this beautiful place of contemplation to Bonnevaux, which is rooted in the same monastic tradition and blessed by its own beauty. Over the past thirty years the Monte Oliveto retreat has developed a unique tone and format which we will be following and adapting in this online experience:
- times of silence,
- of discovering your body as an instrument of the music of the spirit,
- exploring insights that bring old wisdom to bear upon present times,
- contemplative eucharist,
- meditation together (live from Bonnevaux) and
- times of discussion and sharing.
We invite you to retreat and advance by stepping aside from the flurry of news reports and opinions to allow silence, friendship, the wisdom of the body and of the Word to refresh and restore us to see the meaning of what we are going through at this time. You will find practical, detailed advice on how to develop your retreat experience in the circumstances of your life at home or wherever you may be during these special days.
Daily Schedule Live Online (French Time)
Mon – Thurs
- 6:30 – 7:00 — Meditation – optional
- 7:20 – 8:00 — Morning prayer & meditation
- 9:00 -10:00 — Yoga
- 10:30 -11:30 — Talk
- 12:15 — Midday prayer & meditation
- 14:00 -15:00 — Questions & Answers
- 18:00 — Contemplative Eucharist & meditation
On demand access
All the videos of the talks (either pre-recorded or live streamed) will be available on-demand for one month for registered participants.
To reap the full benefits the retreat offers, we recommend that you meditate 2-3 times per day.
Introducing the retreat
How to Create Your Own Retreat
This online retreat is designed to be flexible around your daily life and time zone. Please visit here where we provide support on creating a rhythm and structure to your retreat: how much silence you would like, meditation times, reading of sacred texts, practicing yoga and more, plus other suggestions to help you embody the retreat and stay off-line as much as possible.
This retreat requires Registration – please click the button below.
Laurence Freeman
Fr Laurence is a Benedictine monk of the Monastery of S. Maria del Pilastrello, Lendinara, Italy, in the Benedictine Congregation of Monte Oliveto. He is Director of Bonnevaux and of The World Community for Christian Meditation.
Giovanni Felicioni
Giovanni (Bonnevaux Associate Director) is part of the WCCM since the beginning, being involved in its official foundation in 1991. He is an Oblate, a certified Advanced Rolfer™, a Rolf Movement™ practitioner and a Yoga Teacher.