30-Day Retreat
Waking to the presence of mystery in all things: A 30-Day virtual retreat experience based on the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius.
30-Day Virtual Retreat FAQ
What is a thirty-day retreat?
An opportunity to dedicate a month of life to the inner work of discerning life’s biggest
questions.
What is the origin of the thirty-day retreat?
Ignatius of Loyola, a 16th century Spanish-Basque mystic and founder of the Jesuits created one of the world’s first ‘modern’ programs for psycho-spiritual growth called The Spiritual Exercises. The Thirty Day Retreat is a five hundred year old practice that has inspired and guided spiritual seekers in every age.
Do I have to belong to a particular religious tradition?
No. The Spiritual Exercises have been translated in many creative ways for persons of all spiritual backgrounds. Sacred Art of Living Center is especially committed to offering retreats that support persons from all or no religious tradition.
What is different about a virtual thirty-day retreat experience?
This retreat will be offered online in order to be accessible to anyone regardless of geographical location. Because the retreat is not residential, there are no costs related to lodging or travel.
Do I have to unplug from daily world and normal daily activities?
No. This retreat has been created in such a way that the average person can participate regardless of their living and working situations.
Do I have to be in a major life decision to participate?
No. Life is continually unfolding and change is a constant. Most people wonder about ‘next steps in their life’ even when current circumstances are stable. The needs of the soul require our attention and an occasional ‘tune up’ is deeply satisfying. Anyone would benefit from the questions and simple practices which the spiritual exercises offer in a Thirty Day Retreat.
How is the thirty-day virtual retreat structured?
- The retreat is literally one month or thirty days in length.
- An online opening and closing retreat celebration will be offered for all retreatants
- A weekly 90 minute online teaching will be offered by the retreat leaders. For those unable to attend live sessions, all teachings will be recorded and available online.
- The leadership team will also be offering an optional weekly discernment and support session for retreatants.
- Daily inspirations and recommendations will be offered for spiritual practice. Each practice involves about thirty minutes of reflection and journaling.
- A one-on-one trained spiritual companion (through Sacred Art of Living Center) will be available for weekly conversation and additional support.
Who are the thirty-day retreat leaders?
Richard Groves is co-founder of Sacred Art of Living and has been offering training programs for spiritual directors for 25 years.
Eileen Heaton is a faculty member of the Anamcara Apprenticeship program and a spiritual director for more than twenty years. She is also a trained Enneagram Instructor for Sacred Art of Living Center.
Jack Kennedy is a former Jesuit and master spiritual director. He has been offering Ignatian-based spirituality for Sacred Art of Living Center for twenty five years.
Who will be my one-on-one spiritual companion during the retreat?
Every retreatant will have the opportunity to be accompanied by a trained and approved spiritual companion from Sacred Art of Living Center. Although companions will be ‘assigned’ based on the background of each retreatant, it will be up to each retreat participant either to accept or request a different companion after both parties have met.
Is knowledge of the Enneagram required for the retreat?
It is highly recommended that retreat applicants have a basic knowledge of the Enneagram for this retreat experience. Persons with little or no background can access various Enneagram study tools prior to the Thirty Day Retreat. Sacred Art of Living often offers retreats and workshops on the Enneagram. Check our website for more details.
Is the thirty-day retreat similar to the contemplative Enneagram retreat?
Yes and No. The Contemplative Enneagram Retreat offered annually by Sacred Art of Living Center is a residential retreat. The current COVID health situation motivated the creation of an online experience since traditional retreat centers have not been open during the pandemic. Some of the teachings and experiences of our Contemplative Enneagram Retreat have been incorporated into the Thirty Day Retreat, however, the wisdom of Ignatian discernment spirituality is the heart of the online experience.
Is the thirty-day retreat fee all inclusive?
Yes. All teachings, one-on-one spiritual companionship and access to daily materials are included. The only additional requirement is that retreat participants have access to a laptop or desktop computer and Zoom. A tutorial will be offered prior to the retreat for persons not familiar with the Zoom platform.
Should I owe an additional stipend to my spiritual companion?
No. Although it is normally expected that there is some exchange with one’s spiritual companion, the Thirty Day Retreat fee includes all one-on-one support.
Are there any scholarships available for the thirty-day retreat?
Very limited funds are available but requests can be made. Sacred Art of Living Center does not make a profit from the Thirty Day Retreat program. Fees for this retreat only cover the time and stipends for the entire retreat team.
30-Day Virtual Retreat Testimonies
Thank you for your generosity and time in making this retreat happen. It has been a rich and educational experience. Appreciated Richard’s knowledge of the many parts of the retreat experience. He articulates difficult points of view diplomatically. Positive, thoughtful and knowledgeable. The retreat was great! A spiritual companion who listens well is invaluable to a “beginner” retreatant in understanding and integrating the experience. Though not having any experience with the Enneagram, this retreat has peaked my interest.
The daily exercises were a wonderful way to begin the day and deepen my participation in the retreat. I can’t say enough about the wisdom and expertise that was provided by the team. Richard’s knowledge and passion for all things SALC is evident each time he speaks. Jack Kennedy was especially helpful to me in understanding the themes and processes of the retreat. The videos will be something I watch again in the next few weeks to capture more of his wisdom.
Thank you so much, Richard! This has been a wonderful retreat and
timely for me. I also am so grateful for my spiritual companion in this
retreat whose listening, insight, and wisdom contributed so much.
Again, thank you for all that you and the whole team put into this!
I have much gratitude for the experience I have just lived in the Ignatian exercises.
The Enneagram piece was life-giving for me in this retreat. Thank you.
I have greatly enjoyed this retreat and know the experience will continue to grow afterwards.
The value of having a spiritual companion ‘fully attending’ like this is truly phenomenal, and so very much appreciated. Jack Kennedy is such a master of these exercises and communicated them in an accessible, understandable, and practical way with a very erudite manner. And the Zoom (virtual) format for this, in my view, works
very well.
Fantastic 30-day retreat. Thank you for making it available online! I would not have been able to participate if it was not. I appreciated the content, material, and intentionality in incorporating the Enneagram. Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world and for using language in a way that is accessible to all.
I am in awe of the dedication, time, wisdom, commitment of this team. I loved the conversations, the questions posed by Richard and how accessible the exercises were. These exercises were priceless. I hugely appreciated how the Jack Kennedy shared his own humanity.
Richard held the space for us with grace, as well as intellectual and heart centered strength. I appreciate his energy and the way he wove the traditional Ignatian material in and around the poetry and writings so that everyone could find a portal inward. I know it took much time and energy to do that and I feel it generously gave each participant access to the work in our own unique way.
I loved what Jack offered and his open candor. His conversations with Richard were a very important part of the retreat experience. His influence was woven throughout the material and the friendship and sacred relationship between the two of them permeated the 30 days and was a gift in which to participate. The retreat experience was rich and beautiful and took me through many levels of feelings and moments of hell and heaven. I felt held and supported through it all. I will take much of it with me as I continue on my path toward and/on whole-hearted living.
The Retreat has been a great source of blessing for me – a huge gift. Thank you so much for all the work that went into preparing this. Blending the Enneagram dimension with the Spiritual Exercises was new for me and it has led me to a deeper awareness of myself. I found the videos, the worksheets and the webinars very helpful. Thank you for all the hard work and preparation. You left no stone unturned in helping to make this virtual 30 day retreat an enriching and challenging experience.
I have been touched to the core and am hopefully all the more real in my relationship with the Divine and with others for it. I also feel that I have gone deeper in this Spiritual journey because of the inclusion of the Enneagram. Karin and Maryhelen were the essence of kindness and care – thank you.
A sincere thank you to Richard, Jack, and Eileen for an amazing 30-day retreat experience. The program you put together was creative, inclusive, and engaging. The addition of the Enneagram was brilliant. As a spiritual companion I found that the two people I journeyed with gained a deeper understanding of themselves through the lens of their Enneastyle. The interview-style videos of Jack Kennedy were wonderful. They were interesting, educational, and enjoyable. Providing options for people to either reflect on Christian scriptures or non-religious poems was sensitive and respectful. The Saturday webinars brought everyone together and provided a more in-depth learning experience. I did the daily exercises faithfully for three of the four weeks so that I had a better idea of what those I was companioning were experiencing. I found them to be insightful, reflective, and prayerful. It really did feel like a retreat. I learned a lot from this experience, about myself, and about our human journey. Meeting weekly with each person as a spiritual companion was a tremendous experience. They both took the experience very seriously and were prepared for our weekly sessions.
Finally, the amount of work you put into this retreat was so evident. If I were rating this 30-day Ignatian Retreat on a scale of 1 to 10, it would be a 10+. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this amazing retreat experience. I am glad you are going to repeat it.
Fabulous retreat. The 30 days and structure allow for participants to go deeper even amidst their daily lives. Yes, it requires discipline but this is a gift amidst the busyness.
This is a wonderful program, a gift to all. Still one of the best facilitators I’ve ever seen. Great authenticity, knowledge and presentation.
I so appreciate the wisdom and energy the leadership put into this retreat. Richard is an inspiring, wise, thoughtful and kind retreat leader. The webinars were fantastic.
Once again, Richard, I am so grateful for your offering such a rich and life-enhancing program. I felt that the program design was creative and elegant – a true delight. The abundance of materials will continue to nourish my soul in the future. You looked so happy on screen throughout the retreat. Thank you so much for the great gift of this retreat. Thank you so much, Jack for your presence and wisdom offered throughout this retreat. Your loving energy and words will be remembered. I’m grateful that you added your voice. You and Richard made a wonderful team and your dialogue seemed to flow naturally.
This is what I have been searching for. Thank you.