In Praise of Retreat: Finding Sanctuary in the Modern World

by Kirsteen MacLeod

Overview

For readers of Walden, Wild, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, A Book of Silence, A Gift from the Sea and other celebrations of the inner adventure.

An utterly engaging dive into our modern ways of retreat — where we go, why we’re drawn, and how it’s urgent

From pilgrim paths to forest cabins, and from rented hermitages to arts temples and quiet havens for yoga and meditation, In Praise of Retreat explores the pleasures and powers of this ancient practice for modern people. Kirsteen MacLeod draws on the history of retreat and personal experiences to reveal the many ways readers can step back from society to reconnect with their deepest selves — and to their loftiest aspirations in life.

In the 21st century, disengaging, even briefly, is seen by many as self-indulgent, unproductive, and antisocial. Yet to retreat is as basic a human need as being social, and everyone can benefit, whether it’s for a weekend, a month, or a lifetime. Retreat is an uncertain adventure with as many peaks and valleys as any mountain expedition, except we head inward, to recharge and find fresh energy and brave new ideas to bring back into our everyday lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781770414730
Publisher:	ECW Press
Publication date:	03/30/2021
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	1,005,695
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Kirsteen MacLeod is a writer and yoga teacher. Her debut collection of short stories, The Animal Game, was published in 2016. Her fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction have appeared in prominent literary journals, including The New Quarterly and The Malahat Review; scores of her articles have been featured in leading Canadian magazines; and her work has been a finalist for the CBC Literary Award in creative non-fiction, among other awards. She divides her time between Kingston, Ontario, and a riverside cabin in the woods near Bancroft.

Read an Excerpt

I’m sitting on the old footbridge that leads to my cabin in the woods. Beaver Creek passes silently below. Ducks fly overhead. Ferns, cardinal flowers and moss grow amid grey rocks at the water’s edge. Spiders wander over my notebooks, which are spread out on the bridge’s rough planks, pages held open by stones.

This is the place that inspired this book. By the creek and in the forest, I discovered a rich inner dimension I didn't know existed. Far from my city life and work-obsessed routines, I began to know what gives my life meaning. And to recognize the value of protecting a divine spark, though I’m not religious, and of amplifying the extraordinary—nature, spirit, art, creative thinking—in impoverished times. A retreat means removing yourself from society, to a quiet place where moments are strung like pearls, and after long days apart in inspiring surroundings, you return home refreshed and with a new sense of what you want to do with your life.

In the fraught modern era, you’d think our timeless human desire to retreat would feel more urgent than ever. Yet taking a step back has become an act of 21st century rebellion when disengaging, even briefly, is seen by many as self-indulgent, unproductive and anti-social. But to retreat is as basic a human need as being social. To withdraw from the everyday is about making breathing space for what illuminates a life.

Table of Contents

Mapping the Ground: Of Sacred Groves, Inner Moutains and the Art Retreat 1

An Introduction 3

Green Cathedral 8

The Art of Retreat 30

The Old Ways: Of Hermit Caves, Monasteries and Pilgrin Paths 61

A Hurt of One's Own 63

Monasticism for Moderns 95

Pilgrim Ways 120

The New Deities: Nature and Culture: Of Forest Cabins, National Parks and Creative Sanctuaries 165

I Will Go to the Wild Woods 167

Artists, Writers, Cretive Thinkers, Dreamers 213

Light of the East: Of Yoga Ashrams, Meditation Halls and Body as Temple 245

The Inner Temple 247

In Conclusion: Of Hermitages of the Heart 295

White Rooms, Unified Hearts and Empty Fields 297

Epilogue: June 8,2020 311

Acknowledgements 315

Notes 318

Selected Bibliography 347

Image Credits 353

Permissions 356

Editorial Reviews

01/04/2021

Short story writer MacLeod (The Animal Game) delivers a satisfying exploration of and testament to the healing benefits of “removing yourself from society to a quiet place.” Seeking an escape from a harried professional life and feeling unfulfilled creativity, she and her partner decamped from Toronto to “a retreat in the woods.” They found there a “relief from life’s rushing and chafing” and an opportunity to “stop, gain clarity and make space for change.” MacLeod’s satisfaction in solitude sparked her to wonder: “What has inspired people, ancient and modern, to retreat?” She answers that question by drawing on her own research into philosophy, Western religion, culture, music, and Eastern spirituality to argue that retreat cultivates virtues of “freedom, attunement to self, attunement to nature, reflective perspective and creativity.” MacLeod also includes evocative descriptions of personal retreats to “wild places,” such as Scotland’s northwest Highlands, and “new sanctums,” such as Le Monastère des Augustines wellness center in Quebec. Her reflections on a difficult pilgrimage along Hastings Heritage Trail and a disastrous ashram retreat also demonstrate the difficult sides of getting away. But hardship, MacLeod writes, makes a retreat worthwhile. Anyone looking for a respite from everyday busyness or struggling through quarantine will be inspired by MacLeod’s fresh perspective on the benefits of solitude. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Anyone looking for a respite from everyday busyness or struggling through quarantine will be inspired by MacLeod’s fresh perspective on the benefits of solitude.” — Publishers Weekly

“Narrated with a touch of warmth that is balanced with the detachment that comes from self-awareness and solitude, the book’s pace is smooth, and its diction is beautiful ... In Praise of Retreat issues a deep, thoughtful, and experienced invitation to one’s mind, body, and spirit.” — Foreword Reviews

“MacLeod’s writing is clear, and her love for quiet, green spaces shines through in lyrical passages about life at her cabin. Her curiosity and passion make for engaging reading throughout the historical sections of each chapter ... It’s a book worth reading, one that would make a solid addition to a cottage bookshelf, to be pulled down and riffled through by lamplight on quiet summer nights.” — Quill & Quire

“At first glance a peaceful read that might yet be useful in helping us make the most of this unexpected alone time.” — Toronto Star

“In Praise of Retreat — part memoir, part nature essay, part guidebook — is thoughtful, thoroughly researched and often refreshingly wry.” — Shelf Awareness

“In Praise of Retreat does an excellent job of conveying the ever-present value of cultivating soul-feeding solitude by choice.” — Open Book

“Articulate, well written, and profoundly challenging, I recommend this book to help us all navigate these uncertain times.” — The Cyberlibrarian blog

“At its best, In Praise of Retreat poses interesting, challenging questions.” — Winnipeg Free Press

“Insightful and educational with delightful doses of good humor ... This is a wonderful book full of the gifts of retreat and pilgrimage as well as their challenges, with insightful passages on which to reflect—all of it, it’s own sort of sanctuary.” — Story Circle

From the Publisher