Burnout is central problem for those who care deeply about their work, be it leaders, pastors, doctors, nurses, therapists, or even accountants.  We become so attached to our work that we burn out, and what used to give us joy now simply exhausts us.  In this Sunday to Tuesday Cloisterseminar, we will learn from St. Benedict the proper attachment to work and to the contemplative life.  From Kierkegaard's famous Works of Love, we will contemplate how we can burn for the work we do without burning ourselves out. Interwoven with these readings will be opportunities to explore, contemplate, and evaluate your own commitments and expectations, and for long walks in the beautiful Fall woods of the Abbey. 

A Contemplative Journaling Retreat at the Lake Side

If you are looking for a place of solitude to spend the coming Labor Day weekend, we invite you for a Friday evening to Sunday retreat at beautiful St Johns Abbey guesthouse. Time for reflecting, writing, walking, and swimming... 

A central theme of Benedictine spirituality is the integration of prayer and work, vita activa and vita contemplativa, such that both are made holy.  In our busy and secular world, how can this be possible?  We will together explore our own lives through writing about important and sacred moments in our work and personal lives, and sharing these stories with each other. We will grapple with questions like: what is my work?  What work am I called to do in this stage of my life? What meaning did or does my work have?

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