I wanted to speak a little bit on bringing this retreat experience home with you.

The retreat ends soon. We’ll have packing time and final discussions and remarks.

We are lifting noble silence tonight at dinner until 9pm. Why? As we start to come out of retreat, we want some practice in re-engaging with our normal everyday lives. Also we want to give more time to get to know each other.

But the retreat isn’t over yet. But sometimes it starts unravelling early. So please keep your incredible discipline and engagement all the way through.

for Zoom folks…

So first piece of advice to whoever is actually doing the driving - Drive Slowly! 20, 30, 40 miles per hour is a LOT faster now than it was when you arrived.

Leave plenty of room between you and the next car. Leave the radio off for the first hour of the drive. Take it slow, go back to basics. Pretend you are trying to pass your drivers test again. Relax into it, but take it easy please.

If there is no one waiting for you when you get back, that’s great. Settle in back at home. Don’t turn on the TV or do the normal things you do when you get back.

[Natural Born Killers after retreat? Don’t do it]

Just take a few minutes to walk around your place and examine it with fresh eyes. Don’t worry if the sink is full of dishes or whatever. But this is a great time to think of any changes you want to make to your living situation. Even jot down a little list before you fall completely back into old routines.