Page 5 - Quaker News & Views Nov 25 - Jan 26

The Residential Retreat

The Residential Retreat on the theme of Walking in the Light took place at Park Place
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from June 6 to 8 . The theme was ‘Walking in the Light.’ Here is one participant’s
response to the weekend:

‘‘Thank you all so much for making me feel so welcome.
The nuns (so few…) were kind and the venue was lovely.
It was a privilege to share the workshop with you all , and the sense of community deepened over the
three days in a remarkable way.
Shared meals were an everyday way to linking up and valuable in their own way (especially for
someone who eats alone for most of the time), but the breakout groups are where we shared deeper
thoughts and become more vulnerable - so trust was built up.
The walking meditation was lovely, and we were fortunate the weather was kind to us there - My
husband and I were particularly fond of deciduous woods so it
brought back good memories, and we were lucky to share an
appreciation of the tiny miracles of nature as well as the grand
vistas and big horizons’’.

The last part of the weekend retreat was a meditation
walk on a path through the woods in the grounds of

Park Place. We walked slowly and mindfully in the
light filtering through the leaves.

Photograph kindly provided by Arthur Charlton.

Courtesy of David Brown, Bournemouth

A PEACEFUL AFTERNOON

I am sitting under a chestnut tree in a sheltered spot on a windy day. The
tree’s branches are in full leaf. Their green fans flutter with movement in
response to the rise and fall of the wind and below the trees a legion of
the fallen leaves in russet heaps are stirring or making small exploratory
excursions to join their companions lying on the emerald turf.

The wooden bench where I am resting stands on an ancient path, now
flecked with patterns of sunshine, which leads into the graveyard and
down to the church. How many people, over many years, have sat in
quiet contemplation as I sit now, viewing the lichen-covered gravestones
and wondering about former lives, lived long ago.

There are two main paths leading down from this vantage point; one leads to the church and other to the busy High
Street. My own path makes its way onwards, soon to be restricted by a very long wall which hides the inhabitants
behind it. Opposite this are high fences which border sports fields. Different Lymington activities mark out and
guard their own territories, protecting their right to exist. Some of the graves here have a lonely existence. Other
more recent ones are lovingly visited by children laying down colourful floral tributes. The church clock gives us an
hourly reminder of the passage of time and shoppers with laden carrier bags are returning home with their spoils.

Courtesy of Laura Sunderland, Lymington

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