“Retreat, retreat, retreat”: Five Signs It's Time for You to Go on a Retreat

Tami Kiser offers some compelling reasons why a busy mom might need a retreat.  

My daughter and I were watching The Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian the other night and at a climactic moment King Peter yelled out the words, “Retreat, retreat, retreat.” The battle was not going well for the Narnians, and if the war was going to be won, King Peter’s army needed this time of retreat to rest, refocus, and reset.  

As the owner of a retreat center in the Carolina mountains, I am often yelling this battle cry to worn-out mothers, “Retreat, retreat, retreat!” 

We are all in a “battle” of sorts.

I generally don’t dwell on such a negative view of life; after all, this is God’s beautiful world filled with his grace and love. However, the truth is, we are in a battle of sorts. Satan is real. And he does prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Although we live as God’s children in His kingdom, just like the Narnians, we can find ourselves tired, worn down, and battling our own Telemarines. We may need to retreat. 

Sometimes daily moments of “retreats of self care” such as a bubble bath, a trip to Starbucks, or browsing through a magazine, are crucial for daily survival. Even an hour in adoration can be a mini-retreat of sorts — but sometimes, a longer retreat is necessary.  

I’m not suggesting a nine-day, silent retreat in a monastery is in order (boy, if you could do this ...) but rather a 12-48 hour time away is needed to adequately rest, refocus, and reset.  

I find it takes about one to three hours of being away before the retreat even begins for a person. It takes most people that long to decompress, relax, and then to start to hear and feel what God wants to reset in their lives. We human beings of the 2020s have a very hard time being alone and being silent. I find a good cure for this plague of our decade is a retreat.  

Still not convinced you need a retreat? 

If this hasn’t convinced you that you need a retreat, here are five signs that could be a clearer indication:  

1. I’m generally grumpy. Everything gets me irritated. There’s very little joy.  
2. I’m dissatisfied with my life choices/vocation. I’m regretting past decisions. I see little hope in the future. 
3. I’m very uncomfortable with silence. I love it for a bit, but then get fidgety. I find I have to turn on a podcast. 
4. I’m spending too much time on Netfix (or Hulu or Paramount, etc.) and not enough time reading. I want to do more journaling. 
5. I want to pray better. I want to feel God’s presence. I want to bask in His love for a bit.  

If any of these ring true to you, it could be time for you to go on a retreat. If a retreat seems impossible for you, remember: “for God all things are possible,” (Matthew 19:26) and also, "you do not possess because you do not ask" (James 4:3). 

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2024 Tami Kiser
Images: copyright 2024 Tami Kiser, all rights reserved.